


Pokemon: Spirit

by Luncheon



Series: Pokemon: Spirit and Reborn [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Fantasy, Gen, Original Pokemon Region, Pokemon Fanfiction, Pokemon Journey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 66,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22702246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luncheon/pseuds/Luncheon
Summary: A new Pokemon Trainer moves into the region of Endeima, and learns that it not only contains many experiences, but mysteries as well.If you would like to read this in a different format and/or see the Pokedex, playlist, region map and other information, please visit this link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fjnXevTRtFFwmyqjucjQsSsTwkm-BTxX?usp=sharing
Series: Pokemon: Spirit and Reborn [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1666114
Kudos: 3





	1. Morgetta

"Lail, I know you like to sleep in, but today I strongly recommend that you don't! Please get down here soon!" rang the same voice from the kitchen downstairs. Lail got out of bed, looked in the mirror, and put on a pair of running shoes he got for his birthday just a couple weeks ago.

"Aghhh... it's so hard to reach him, this time difference makes it impossible!" Lail's mom cried out as he came down the stairs. "Oh Lail, good morning! You look nice today." She turned around to admire him.

"You probably found out already, but Professor Spruce lives just across the village. Since you still haven't become a Pokemon Trainer, I'm sure it will be very useful to have him so close to home." A pan behind her started sizzling loudly; Lail's mom jumped. "Oh yeah, I made Oricorieggs! I thought I would give them a shot to celebrate today. Go on and at least try them." Lail walked over to the table in the kitchen and sat down to peruse what looked like cream-yellow scrambled eggs with glitter. "It's just seasoning, don't worry. The website said eggs of Oricorio look like they have glitter inside of them in real life!" Lail's mom explained.

She walked over to the phone she was by earlier, stood still to glance at it, sighed, and went back to sit at the table next to Lail. "Listen, I've been trying to contact Dad. I know you don't like the fact that he's stuck in a job in Johto while we're here - and neither do I - and I know it's gonna be weird without him for a while, but he and I will find a way to make it work. I'm gonna need your help too." Lail nodded, and continued to poke around at the eggs.

Soon it was 10:00 a.m., the time Professor Spruce's lab opened for anyone who needed to stop by, which included Lail. He almost made it to the door when he was stopped once again by his mom. "Listen, I know you're eighteen and a literal adult now, but please be careful. And try to stop by every once in a while." Lail nodded again, and hugged his mom before leaving the house.

\---

The village of Acufull was small, but so closely knit it appeared as a working city. Although the many houses were predominately made of wood, they were just like any other with a cooling system and water. They stood close together, with roads of grass separating the village. Nearby a Sudowoodo watered flowers with a little girl in a front yard. Another boy ran down the grassy path with a group of Pidove following close behind. The village was surrounded by dark green trees with even darker trunks except for a single path leading out, but in no way did the villagers feel isolated, as every spot felt just like home.

Lail made his way over to Professor Spruce's lab, which unsurprisingly took only a couple minutes. What was surprising, however, was a giant mass of people waiting to get in. A middle-aged woman in what looked like the end of the crowd turned to Lail with a small smile of understanding. "From what I've heard, the professor has been in and out for a couple days. All of these people needing help or questions answered have been waiting for hours since he started. I'm afraid you may be also waiting all day, sorry about that."

New to the region, Lail had nothing else to do but wait. Eventually he found himself inside the lab, able to take a seat and get a number, discovering it was a necessary precaution here. Less than halfway to go, Lail successfully managed to get a different woman behind him to save a seat then went back to his mother's to have lunch and finish his sleep. As Lail walked back, he pondered how a group that seemed five times the size of the village could be there at the lab, even if it appeared a little backed up.

The sky turned orange as Lail waited again, leaning back to rest his head against one of the giant glass windows. He almost began to doze off when he was finally called to the front desk to explain why he was even there, then sent home because it was now far too late to get a starter Pokemon. Stomping, Lail once again made his way back to his mother's house when a girl, running back to the village, disrupted his fuming as she ran right in front of him.

"Sorry." She turned to face Lail and noticed the lab. "Were you trying to get a Pokemon?" Lail turned back with a look of resentment already found in this place. "Sorry. The professor hasn't exactly been there for these people. Let me show you the route up ahead, since people probably didn't let you by without a Pokemon. First shot at freedom here." She gestured to a different group of trees beyond the village.

Lail looked back at the lab and nodded once more, eager to do anything but be here.

\---

The girl and Lail slowly strolled down the path which she mentioned was called Route 706 ("'Trail of Origins' they call it, because the end of it splits into two paths, one leads to the top and one leads to the bottom of the island. Bottom one is blocked off right now though. Fallen trees, construction..."). It was a fairly wide path, with the same dark green trees outlining either side and made of light brown dirt that could be mistaken for cement. The barricades of timber occasionally gave way to patches of grass, where other plants were given a chance to grow. As night steadily approached, the air blew particularly cool, and a light silver mist formed at the bottom of the trees. Among the patches existed a particular clearing that seemed to pump out the mist from its entrance.

Lail figured they must have been walking for a good few minutes when the girl stopped, still looking at the trail ahead, then turned back to him to speak. "I figure this is just as good a time as any to introduce myself." She seemed to hesitate for a brief second before continuing. "My name...is Zinnia. And you are?.... Lail, got it. I'm new to this region, just like you. I was last in Hoenn, but I decided to come here. The massive size of that region can get to you. Anyways, I've been trying to find something to do here to get comfortable, and the professor offered me to assist him in gathering data of this forest." She began to eyeball the trees on either side of her, making Lail feel just a little anxious.

Zinnia, appearing to notice the response her actions were receiving, stopped and began to look at Lail with an awkward smile. "I guess you can say I'm sort of starting over. I left my team I had back in Hoenn, and decided to create a new one with the Pokemon here. I'm not exactly sure what to do, or feel right now...but I think I've probably said too much about me. How about that tour, yeah?"

Lail admired the vast sea of trees as Zinnia pointed out what they could see from their spot ("Right there, the brighter green trees that sort of stick out to the left there, that's called Ethearth Forest, and it's actually quite peaceful and comforting despite what you may think..."), then she told Lail later to go ahead and start heading back ("There's almost no wild Pokemon by the path; there's no room for them to be out here") while she collected one more reading with a fancy instrument the professor had provided for her.

Lail came in eyesight of the village, when a deep scream from the clearing he noticed earlier echoed down the path. The only person close, he rushed in, wondering if there really were dangers that existed just outside the village...

The entrance to the clearing was shrunken and covered by branches, making him run in darkness for a few seconds before reentering moonlight. What lay before was not the same lines of trees; instead it looked like an isolated pond. It seemed different things were able to grow here - a couple red-leaf trees stood on the edges, glowing amidst the clearing. Lily pads with purple flowers floated on the pond, and in the center of it... a gigantic, floating fish.

Lail stood, petrified by fear, trying to comprehend the monster. It possessed a blue body ending in a giant, betta fish-like tail fin. Its head looked shockingly like a woman's, with hair-like extensions starting at the head and hanging down. The fish had its head hunched down, displaying two giant fins on its top and bottom, both waving in the air and ending in captivating purple and pink colors. The creature stared at Lail, not making any hostile movements, as if it was analyzing him as well.

A middle-aged man laid in front of it, his arms behind him desperately trying to push himself up off of the ground amidst the radiating fear. Lail, noticing the monster still making no movements, cautiously stepped forward to help the man. The fish noticed, however, and hunched down further, and what appeared as shadows starting forming on either side of it, producing an ominous buzzing.

Zinnia came hustling in behind Lail with a raised arm holding a Pokeball as if in battle stance. "Here's another moment where I regret leaving my old team behind." Zinnia ran over to Lail and passed a Pokeball into his hand. "If it isn't going to leave us alone, then we will have to take care of it. I gave you one of my Pokemon; they may not be strong enough yet, but we have to fend this thing off."

The creature now emitted a daunting sound, challenging them to battle.

\---

_ Brilliant Life, Rising Light - Tales of Vesperia _

_[The theme of Acufull Village.]_

_Heirs to Eternity -_ _Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire_

_[Zinnia's theme, borrowed from the past games because I think it still fits wonderfully.]_

_ Condemnation - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[The track 'Condemnation' will play during battles against wild Pokemon that are more serious than a normal battle. (More specifically, against strong wild Pokemon that are a part of the story. These Pokemon also cannot be caught.) The camera zooms in quickly and transitions to the battle. Lail uses a Bagon and Zinnia uses a Capliel, both low level with early moves. The enemy Pokemon's name appears as '???,' is high level, and uses non-damaging moves such as Mean Look and Haze, but eventually uses a Muddy Water which wipes out both Pokemon. Instead of saying you blacked out, the screen just fades to black and resumes the game.]_

\---

Zinnia and Lail panted as they returned the fainted Pokemon to their Pokeballs, and the fish began to emit the same voice, leaning back at the edge of the pond. The man on the ground, still unhurt, began to shuffle his feet against the foggy mud, pushing himself away from the water.

Behind Lail another man hustled in, wearing a red-orange vest and wild brown hair. Next to him entered a burly Ursaring, a smaller green Pokemon Lail had never seen, and the assistant that ushered him away earlier...

"WHAT ON _ZENHARA'S OATH_ ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?!!?! GET BACK TO THE VILLAGE _NOW!!!_ " The man gestured to both of them, swinging his arm back to the entrance.

"Yes professor." Zinnia turned to Lail in defeat. "We really should go now." She motioned to him, and the two started to run back to the trail. As they approached the entrance, Lail overheard the professor yelling, "Gimrod, use Vine Whip to pull the man to safety! Ursaring, _Sweet Scent!_ "

\---

The village exuded black except for the lab, its many windows casting yellow light throughout the forest. Lail, Zinnia, Professor Spruce and his assistant stood inside, gathering around a table with a single Pokemon resting on it. To Lail it looked like a small, white and blue fish with a flower on its head. "This Pokemon is called Kimoi. The Pokemon you saw earlier is called Morgetta, the final form of it..." the professor explained.

"So this little fish evolves into that." said Zinnia, staring in disbelief at the little fish, squirming around from the sudden company.

"Right, you both are still new here." The professor shifted his gaze to Kimoi. "It may seem bizarre that this little fella turns into a potentially scary creature, but here it's just a normal thing that happens. Morgetta are actually quite friendly, carrying on the social butterfly trait of its previous evolutions. They live in the waters around here, and the wild ones help us with many things as well and work with us. The Kimoi we provide are generous donations, believe it or not. People here are just fine with them; I've even heard of some trainers that release their evolved Morgetta, thinking it will prefer its natural life."

He peered out the window, towards where the clearing would be, and Zinnia and Lail watched him. "However, the one we encountered tonight wasn't normal. Some of the other ones have been acting strange as well. I believe it has something to do with the water... I've been trying to run tests and hopefully I will be able to understand something from them."

"Right." Zinnia now talked to Lail. "My job for Professor Spruce is helping collect data from all around this forest to see if anything has changed. Professor, do you really think there's some disturbance going on?"

Professor Spruce stopped staring through the window. "I don't know for sure, but I can't think why on Endeima the Morgetta would act like this. Hopefully we will find an answer." The Kimoi spun around, squirting a miniature Water Gun while the assistant played with it.

The stars turned overhead and soon the informal meeting began wrapping up. Zinnia left after saying goodbye to everyone, Kimoi was sent inside a Pokeball, and the assistant left after muttering with Professor Spruce for a few minutes.

He now rested his arms on the lab table facing Lail with a face that could use sleep. "Alright Lail, you should probably go home to your family. I'm sure they're worried sick by now. Thank you for what you did tonight; it was very brave albeit reckless to try to help that poor man." Lail nodded and turned to walk home, but was stopped short at the door once again by a call of his name.

"My assistant told me you were waiting in here all day, but sadly I haven't been here enough to help everyone and leave time for new Pokemon trainers to begin travelling. I promise first thing tomorrow, before my lab even normally opens, that I will be here to help you start your adventure. Now - good night!"

Lail passed through the double doors of the lab, retracing the way home, wondering what else lurked in these forests.

\---

_ A Place in the Sun - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[Professor Spruce details the history of Morgetta, as well as the proposed darkness.]_


	2. Raindidoe

"Okay Lail, _today's_ the big day, so get down here even sooner!"

This morning went much the same, Lail's mom wishing him farewell, then Lail once again leaving for Professor's Spruces lab, but this time with a completely different sense of optimism.

The cloudless sky presented a cheerful shade of forget-me-not blue, while a layer of early-morning fog still stuck around the tops of the trees surrounding the village. Lail arrived at the lab, where Professor Spruce stood waiting with his assistant, wearing a faint smile that still seemed a few hours shy of sleep. "Lail, welcome! I really hope you're excited to start your adventure! There's a lot to do out there!"

Lail approached a table next to them, where three Pokeballs rested in a row on top. "You most likely know what these are. I'll go ahead and introduce all three- but first, let me give you some tools you'll need." Professor Spruce handed Lail a Pokedex. "This is so you can keep track of all the Pokemon in the region. I've been hassling myself researching my fair share of them over the years, but many are still quite mysterious and some quite elusive. There might even be some we haven't even discovered yet, could you imagine that?!"

He reached into his pocket and now gave Lail a rolled up Town Map. "Always useful. We keep a whole rack of these here in different languages for tourists of all kinds. Use it to keep track of where you are, and since Endeima is a fairly small region, you'll never get lost."

Professor Spruce brought the spotlight to the three Pokeballs. He tapped the first one which popped out, "I'd like to introduce you to Gimrod..." the second, "Moltox.." then the third, "and Kimoi. I believe you met this one already."

Lail analyzed the bizarre Pokemon laying in front of him. Gimrod looked like a small baby monkey, almost like a miniature clown, colored yellow with brown stripes and covered in bushes with a metal rod on its head. Moltox looked like a mix between a ferret and a fox, its long tail ending in a flame-like shape, with white fur and a cream colored underbelly as well as spots above its eyes. It also had extra fur around its neck shaped like a bandana. The Kimoi looked as if it was the same one as last night, with a white body with blue and purple blotches, blue eyes with eyelashes, that same blue flower on its head, and a tail like a betta fish, gleaming and full of all its colors. All three Pokemon appeared so vibrant and cheerful, watching Lail with big, awaiting eyes. The professor laughed at the sight of the three Pokemon. "So now you have to choose one! I'm sure whichever one you pick will be the exact right choice."

After careful consideration, Lail chose his starter Pokemon, which he now held in his arms. Reflecting the enjoyment shone on the Pokemon's face, he realized the new possibilities, the new world unlocked by becoming a Pokemon Trainer. Together, Lail and his companions would start this adventure together, learning and adapting together, and they would both excel to become the best they could be.

Professor Spruce intervened once more. "One more thing. I know you're not very pleased with Endeima so far, but... try to enjoy everything, because if you go into this with the wrong mindset... well, you won't know what you've missed until it's over. With that, I am pleased to announce our newest Pokemon Trainer!"

Sending the Pokemon back into their Pokeball, Lail exited the lab, and instead of heading back home, he advanced toward Route 706: The Path of Origins.

Zinnia came running from the route to the village, and noticing Lail, stopped almost in the same place as the previous day. Too dark to make note of yesterday, Lail noticed she wore a gray cloak hanging down her back but also wrapping around the front like a jacket and a very long black shirt that stretched down further than that. She wore grayish pants that ended in tall, also gray hiking boots. Dark, black hair a little longer than shoulder length rustled in the pleasant breeze; reddish eyes bounced off the sunlight yet gleamed like minerals. She took a split second to catch her breath before talking to Lail.

"I guess you're now a Pokemon Trainer. The professor told me he might let me choose one of the starters after you came, so...good timing. If I want a new team here, a starter helps. But it doesn't feel normal, even if the professor allows it.

"The trainers here, probably even Professor Spruce and your parents, have mentioned the challenge for the Endeima League. That's what trainers usually aim for. If you're still at odds, the challenge is something to pursue. Might even find fun in it. What else to do in a place like this, huh. So...the first gym is past Ethearth, on the way to Vicecara. Good luck, Lail."

She silently continued to the lab and disappeared through the doors. Lail noticed a horde of visitors already starting to conglomerate by the entrance. Putting the village behind him, he stepped foot onto the route as a trainer.

\---

Along Route 706, Lail noticed several Pokemon he'd never seen before as well as a mix of familiar ones, such as some Zigzagoon and Taillow. A little boy standing on the side challenged Lail to his first Pokemon battle, who used a small blue jay-like bird and a gray rodent Lail saw Zinnia use to fight Morgetta. Using the Pokedex, they were identified as Blujé and Capliel, which also lurked in the grass on the sides of the path.

Lail casted a sideways glance at the clearing as he passed it, which still gave off an eerie vibe. A girl right before the entrance to the forest also challenged him, who used an interesting Pokemon: a white bug looking like it lived in a cold place. The girl said it was called an 'Artibug' and actually caught it much further up north, past the forest. Lail now entered Ethearth Forest, continuing to the path to the gym.

\---

_ 2 + 1 - Ivan Trevino _

_[This plays whenever in Ethearth Forest.]_

_ Road Taken (Roar) - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[This plays whenever you battle a trainer. The screen breaks and falls revealing a black screen, which then shows the trainer with their Pokeball that they then throw. Each trainer class also has a unique encounter theme and some have a theme regarding which kind of Pokeball they use. Debating on whether they walk toward the player or simply catch eyes like in Alola.]_

_ Misery In Hand - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[This plays whenever you battle a wild Pokemon. The screen quickly zooms in to the player and goes white, then shows the Pokemon. Most of the wild grass is pushed to the sides in the region, making any wild Pokemon theme theoretically less repetitive.]_

_\---_

Lail immediately understood what Zinnia meant, feeling the same serenity and content. This felt nothing like the clearing: the trees gleamed a bright green and sun filtered through the treetops, creating a grid of warm sunlight. Lail still sensed a presence lurking deep within the trees, but this one seemed different, reassuring...

Instead of a narrow path, the forest was a wide, straight area with some trees distributed randomly in between. Leaves scattered the ground and continued to fall all around. Patches of grass grew mainly in the blotches of sun, but also in corners and crannies. Lail noted that the forest also sported a combination of marshland, with puddles and wet shapes of grass adding to the cluster of nature on the sides, and in a separate room that the forest seemed to possess, it appeared as a complete marsh, with several Pokemon moving about that matched the environment. A giant white and brown heron stood in the middle of a dirty pond, sifting for food and flapping its origami-shaped wings that seemed to drip with mud.

The wild Pokemon and trainers moving about also seemed to feel the warmth of the forest, wearing smiles and stirring energetically even when idle. Lail recorded some other Pokemon: a yellow poison dart frog-looking one called Dartcidic, a goose combined with a raft among many other characteristics, and other familiars such as Spinarak and Burmy.

Traversing through the other end, he exited the forest, being spit out into an area with the same taiga trees of the village but much more open and sparse. A wooden sign staked into the ground, now leaning, read "Route 705- A Friendly Pass."

The pass was definitely humble: a few houses rested nearby, run down and pitiful. A Pokemon Center, the first Lail had seen here, sat not far away and definitely had seen better days. Instead of being a vast, high-tech facility, it appeared very old-fashioned, made partly of wood with a front deck and a few plants grew on each side of the doors. The route was mostly dirt and sand with wet grass growing wildly; the air blew chillier and more bitter. Despite all of this, the beaten down grouping still resembled a place for people to live.

Lail entered the Pokemon Center to rest the Pokemon team he made in his first few hours of travel. A receptionist called Nurse Joy welcomed him and proceeded to rest the Pokeballs on a tray which she brought to the back. To the right of Lail, a small magazine stand carried a few rumpled volumes, some hanging over the shelves. A couple people sat in some dusty wooden tables in the corner of the center, chatting and looking at the magazines. A girl wearing a casual-clothes-kimono hybrid instead showed a curious amount of interest in Lail, staring at him while resting an elbow on the table. He thanked the nurse and exited the Pokemon Center, followed by the clothes girl.

"Are you by any chance attempting the gym leader challenge?" she inquired, jumping in front of him and closing in on his face. "The Vicecara City gym isn't too far away from here. This is sort of the outskirts of the city. I can give you a tour of this little area." She began to walk ahead without awaiting an answer.

She wore a mix of pink and white colors for the mashup of clothing she wore as well as weird, long decorations on her back that looked like wings made out of sticks and crystals. Her long, brown hair constantly whooshed aside as she repeatedly turned her head to beckon Lail behind her, revealing energetic pink eyes.

They turned a corner and eventually reached a medium sized garage-looking building with a humongous fenced backyard. "Let's stop here." she explained as she went inside before Lail.

An old lady stood behind a thin, wooden desk with a white PC box next to it. In the corner, an Igglybuff played on a green carpet, looking very lonesome and anxious. The clothes girl turned back to Lail, putting on a more genuine face. "This is the Pokemon Daycare. I thought it would be neat to show you this first, as it's really useful to know about this early on. Basically, you go up here and you can raise up to two Pokemon. While you grow stronger, so can they in here. Submit a certain pair and you might also find an egg! One of the wonders of having Pokemon. Since you probably haven't caught very many right now, that's all I'll say." She stopped for a quick second by the Igglybuff and knelt down to stroke it on its head, in which it closed its eyes and started rolling back and forth ecstatically while Lail watched intently.

The girl seemed to completely dawn a new mood, and let out a small sigh. "This daycare is actually run by my family, so I work here a lot. That's actually my grandmother running the front desk." She nodded to the old woman, who nodded back. "Pals like this Igglybuff are acting anxious, like the area has a different feel to it all of a sudden. There's dark times approaching, and I stay to help keep the light in these Pokemon." She stood up and went to the door. "Well? There's another place of interest along the route."

Walking further along, both the girl and Lail approached a small drink shop. "This is a milkshake place! 'Starpuff Shakes! ~ Flavors for People and Pokemon.' I work here too! I'm sort of like the owner, actually. I think there's something I want you to do in here."

The inside looked like a glitzy and pizzazzed diner. There were some red bar stools in front of a large counter where the employees worked with all sorts of gizmos to make drinks, and a neon colored jukebox stood in the corner with other brightly colored booths. The girl motioned toward the kitchenette. "I have a group of people that are coming in soon. I'm wondering if you would be able to help me make some milkshakes for an incentive? It's quite fun."

Lail, not exactly sure what to do, slightly nodded and went behind the counter. Soon a doorbell jingled; three girls that looked almost identical walked in and sat on the three stools in front of the counter.

"Cookies and cream, please!" immediately said the first girl, raising a single finger.

"Just chocolate," said the second.

"And I'll have a strawberry!" exclaimed the third.

Lail turned around to the kitchen, trying to make sense of the machinery. The clothes girl watched him, seemingly doing nothing else. What was this? He slowly assembled the first shake, spun, and gave the cookies and cream shake to the matched girl, who hunched down and giggled. "Oops! We switched places when you weren't looking! You gave the shake to the wrong girl, which means you have to battle me!"

\---

After winning but thoroughly dazzled, Lail faced the clothes girl, perhaps realizing what this really was...

"Looks like you beat me..." said the defeated girl. "Rules: Deliver the last two shakes to the right customer, and you pass! Defeat all three of us in battle, and you also pass. Good luck!" The girls chuckled and patiently waited as Lail once again started making the shakes, surreptitiously glancing out of the corner of his eye to watch the movements of the trio. After passing the other two shake challenges, the girls all looked at him and giggled again. "Congratulations, you completed the first part of the gym! Now you can fight the gym leader!"

Lail just noticed the clothes girl wasn't watching them anymore; she had disappeared. "Go out through the employees only door, it will lead you to the rest of the gym. Good luck!" chimed the girls, giggling again.

He did just that, opening the creaking steel door which revealed an ominous set of stairs leading down to somewhere else...

The closed, steel room grew brighter as he followed the stairs, leading into a room enveloped with light, taking a second to adjust not only for the sudden radiance but also the appearance of the room. A path of brown clay led in a long, straight line to the end, decorated on either side by giant mounds of rocks with giant crystals of every color sparkling on top. The clothes girl stood at the end of the passage, raising her arms to greet the new challenger in her realm. Placing one foot in front of the other, Lail slowly crunched through the crystal grove, feeling the tension brought upon him in his very first battle with a gym leader.

The girl stood on a small mountain with more sets of stairs leading to her, which Lail climbed, meeting her face to face. The crystals continued to glitter as she closed her eyes, twirled around, and greeted him with a triumphant tone. "You've made it this far. No hard feelings for making my gym a facade; it's my way of testing your determination, if you're as serious as I am to raise the stakes with your Pokemon. Now, let's begin." She seemed to strike some sort of pose, tilting her head and placing a peace sign over her eye, and although it looked rather silly, Lail felt an even greater sense of intensity.

_"My name is Hitomi, Pokemon caretaker, restaurant owner, gym leader, and more, and welcome to the final challenge for the Crystal Badge!!!"_

_\---_

_ No Differences - Aldnoah Zero _

_[Hitomi's theme. I'm more interested in the beginning to the first chorus, but the whole song still fits Hitomi pretty well, I think.]_

_ Driver VS - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[This plays whenever you fight a gym leader. The screen starts by showing the sprites of the player and the gym leader clashing into each other, much like in BW, and rub into each other, then the badge for that gym falls into the screen and breaks it, the sprites and the badge flying off to reveal the gym leader, doing a pose or action (in this case the sideways peace sign), then throwing out their Pokemon. I should also mention the gym trainers before this use one fairy Pokemon each. Hitomi strikes a pose with her peace sign, then happily tosses a Pokeball in which a Swirlix pops out and floats to the ground and sticks it tongue out. Hitomi uses all Poke Balls.]_

_Pokemon Hitomi uses: Swirlix, Raindidoe_

_ Type Wild - Pokemon Orange Islands* 0:08 to end _

_[This plays when the gym leader is on their last Pokemon. It kicks up at 0:08 and goes to the end, then repeats from the same starting point.]_

\---

In the final stretches Hitomi had sent out a Pokemon, a pink armadillo creature with crystals on its back that looked exactly like the clothes she wore. Lail pondered if it was just a cute custom, or if it resembled some bond between their Pokemon.

Hitomi smiled, reached into her pocket, and slid out a sparkling badge which she held in her palm. "Take this, proud owner of the Crystal Badge! With this, stronger Pokemon will be able to listen to your voice. Trying to balance what I do might leave me as a gym leader I'm still not proud of, but I shouldn't make excuses. You battled greatly with a wonderful team, and continue to journey with that team to the next several gyms!"

She then pulled out something else. "And take this. This is a TM for Friendly Feign, a move for fairy types that grows stronger the faster you are compared to the enemy. With that, make your way to Vicecara City where the next gym awaits. And an extra note: this doesn't have to be the last time you see me. I'm open for rematches and to talk, and not just all the way down here. Now onwards!"


	3. Siracle

Lail exited the gym, turning back to the facade of a milkshake shop before continuing along the route. Trees still bordered along the entire sandy path, overwhelming and foreboding, never letting up a single inch in the natural landscape.

Halfway along the route, a separate path branched far north; a short sign hammered into the ground near it read, "This Way [North] to Arctic Reserve." Still waiting on his Frontier-Tag, Lail ignored it and resumed traveling to Vicecara City.

Being further up north already, he felt the colder winds, eyeing snow topped trees where the other path would lead in the distance. The snowy creature he met earlier, Artibug, crawled along the route in the dark patches of grass, as well as a melting pot of Endeinan Pokemon he already recorded.

More trainers waited for him to cross their vision, revealing more interesting and unseen Pokemon and offering him a chance to train before immediately challenging the next gym. Even further along the straight path, trees started missing from their endless barricade; some were cut down for empty spaces near the city. An entrance gate for the city gradually focused into view - it was a torii gate-like structure made out of wood planks, the poles perfectly fitting between the path and the trees.

As Lail crossed into the city, the terrain transformed from a path surrounded by a sea of grass into an entire floor of clay and sand. Wooden shops with shiny glass windows lined the streets; wooden houses painted in blue, red, brown and pink dotted the city randomly; wooden decks and arches added a resemblance of western decor. The gym rested in the heart of the city, decorated like a large mansion with pillars of wood and pretty windows. The gym symbol was printed on the top left corner, spray painted brown with a white outline. Now that Lail thought of it, he might've seen the same symbol on a tiny neon sign by the milkshake shop...

A bookstore titled "Jowles & Darings" had a line bursting out of its front doors and curving around the sidewalks, people and an occasional Pokemon anxiously peeking over heads to see inside ("I can't wait at all!" exclaimed one queuer to the person behind them. "Dravyn Hooklink is one of the best Pokestorians out there, and 'Endeima Today: Explaining Our Enigmatic History' must be incredible!"). Around the corner stood a clustered and disheveled shop called "Miltank's Chocolates" full of mountainous shelves stuffed with slabs of chocolate and assortments of candy, and windows decorated with pictures of Pokemon as well as slogans like "Creamy to full dark type; Moomoo Milk's got you covered!" and "Our Munchlax really adores THIS candy."

Lail explored a rocky area to the east of the city named Crystal Summits: a collection of small, spiraling beige mountains decorated with brightly colored rocks and crystals reminding him of Hitomi's final Pokemon. The first few areas of the mountains were easy to get around, but the entrance to the next area rested way up higher on the slope, impossible to reach and promoting a quick turnaround.

Back in the center of town, a group of civilians crowded around a museum on the northern streets. A window had been shattered, broken shards of glass still laying on the sidewalk as murmurs churned through the air. "Have you heard?" whispered one passerby. "Apparently there was an attempted robbery just last night! The champion swooped in with their Roriglade and inspected the whole place! Nothing seems to be stolen though..."

After getting comfortable with the layout of the city, Lail approached the second gym feeling somewhat ready to take it on. A man stood by the door however, blocking him from entering.

"Hello, my name is Jim! Just Jim! Looks like you're gonna challenge the Vicecara Gym! I'm sorry to inform you, but the gym leader is sick right now. Her exact words just a few hours ago were, 'I'm being held captive by my overprotective mother!' There's medicine ready to be picked up that the family ordered I'm supposed to deliver, but as I'm the guide for this gym, how about you deliver it as a not-a-bribe-but-an-incentive?"

With that, Lail went over to the pharmacy, a more specialized mart selling herbs and medicine. In front of him in line, a man in black clothing took a medicine bag and turned around, suddenly noticing Lail standing behind them.

"Ah, you're Lail I presume? My name is Kuro. I heard about a new trainer choosing their starter from the lab followed by some girl. I just went there myself to get a starter of my own. Never have in this region, you see."

A Zangoose stood beside him, crossing its arms. It had a distinct light blue coloring, which Lail knew was a unique variation for this Pokemon. "So, you are also getting the badges to challenge the league?" the man continued in a cold voice. "While it may be an entertaining feat, I wouldn't do it just because someone else suggested it. I'm aiming to become the new Endeima Champion so I can push the ideals of my own that I owe my life to. I might just have to brush you out of the competition if you get too far."

Lail watched the man and Zangoose walk off, not knowing how to feel.

\---

Lail knocked on the door of the gym leader's house, beckoned to come in from a distant man's voice. He entered a living room area lit by yellow lights from a ceiling fan slowly whirring. An older man sat on a worn-out couch watching a small TV across the room with his back to Lail. A large dog that looked like a Saint Bernard with kangaroo legs was curled up in a green dog bed in front of the TV, soundly asleep.

"Are you here because of the medicine?" asked the man, bending over his shoulder. "Amber's in her room to the left. Most people when they get sick seem pretty weak, but this girl is defiant enough to rid herself of it through sheer willpower. Unfortunately, my wife thinks it's a bit too serious this time."

Lail then tapped on the next door and opened it, seeing a girl who must be Amber laying in a bed with her mom standing at the foot of it, leaning over her.

"Mom- I'm fine, dang it! There's challengers waiting for me, and I refuse to let them down!" declared Amber, staring sternly at her mother.

"You're still weak. What you _need_ to do is rest." Amber's mom replied calmly, who suddenly noticed someone standing behind her. "Oh! What are you doing in my house- medicine we asked for? Thank you, now leave so I can give it to Amber."

Kicked out of the room, Lail wandered around the living room ready to leave after finishing the side task weirdly assigned to them. The dog curled in the bed once again caught his eye, still in a deep sleep and twitching its legs as it dreamed. Its whiskers were grizzled white along with its nose, a sign that it looked quite old...

The door to Amber's room abruptly kicked open, Amber herself marching out of room toward the front door, quickly stopping to look at the trainer in her house. Long white hair trailed behind her, part of it in a long ponytail and the rest hanging freely beside it. She wore a brown vest with front pockets and a furry collar, white khakis, and powerful, furry brown boots.

"I'm feeling better already. I'll be at my gym." She swung open the door and left. Her mom then speedwalked out of the bedroom, mumbling "Oh Amber..." and followed her out of the door. If there existed any hint of gratefulness in Amber, Lail could not find it.

Amber's dad sighed ("There she goes..."), sunk deeper into the couch, and smiled at Lail's interest in their dog. "Are you familiar with this Pokemon? She's called a Siracle. It's a fairly respected species; you'd hear something about it almost everywhere in this city. This one has unfortunately grown quite old... she's a fighter though, like my daughter. Amber actually took one of the puppies from this Siracle for her own, and plays and trains with it. She won't admit it, but Siracle takes up a considerate portion of her heart."

\---

In the entrance of the Vicecara Gym, the man guarding it from before quickly greeted Lail.

"Thank you for helping the gym leader! Take this as a mini thank you from me!" He gave Lail a bottle of Fresh Water. "Speaking of water, ground types don't like it at all! That's what this gym is known for. Again, I'm Jim! Just Jim!"

The layout for the gym took up the entire building, a display of fields of muddy earth and pillars of ice lining the walls, giving the inhabitants their own personal air conditioning. To get through, Lail trekked across the several patches of ground, realizing they were actually pits of quicksand. Accidentally falling into one, he needed to battle a trainer to reach a ladder bringing him back to the right level. Eventually the pits combined with the ice to create a chaotic slip-and-slide puzzle, Lail skating across the ice, then quickly escaping traps of quicksand to change direction.

He finally slid into a set of wooden stairs leading to a podium where Amber, the gym leader, proudly stood. Silently, she peered down at Lail, waiting for him to approach her. Then, when they finally stood across from each other, leader and challenger, she spoke with fierce determination.

"I am Amber, the gym leader of Vicecara. I will make the earth I grew up on crumble underneath you!" She slammed her fist into the ground, and drew back into a rigid position with a Pokeball gripped firmly in her right hand.

\---

_ Torigoth - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[For Vicecara City. Might be a little too cheerful for the city, however.]_

_ Driver VS - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_ [ _ _Amber stands in a rigid position, then stomps the ground and bends her right arm back to clutch her Pokeball. She then turns around and spins her right arm, throwing her Pokeball literally into the ground. A Trapinch digs out and smiles happily._ _Amber uses all Premier Balls.]_

_Pokemon Amber uses: Trapinch, Wormadam-Sandy, Siracle_

\---

Amber used the same Pokemon Lail saw in her house, but this Siracle was much younger and stronger and felt like her own companion, matching her look and soul...

She sighed as Lail won the battle. "You still fight like an amateur, but a win is a win. Very well, this Permafrost Badge is yours. And a TM for Bulldoze, a ground move that lowers the speed of those hit. A very dirty move."

She seemed to look beyond Lail for a moment, then continued. "With this badge, you can now explore more of the Crystal Summits, a group of mountains next to the city. The only way to reach them normally is by using a special Ride Pokemon." Amber handed Lail a Ride Pager. "Use this pager to summon a Siracle. Vicecara has a breed of them, and one will quickly reach you to answer your call. Use Siracle to jump over the steep slopes and reach the other paths in the Summits. I hope you respect it."

Lail left with the same dazed state as the previous gym but also a stronger dislike for the leader he just faced. However, Vicecara City quickly became a thing of the past, and he moved on.

Presented with new, spectacular possibilities, Lail returned to the Crystal Summits riding on the back of a great Siracle. It hopped from mountain to mountain with gracefulness and galloped across the rocky ridges. Inside the mountains Lail discovered different Pokemon, including but not limited to Raindidoe, the Pokemon of Hitomi, a small dog-like one with a snowball for a body that must evolve into a Siracle, and a small mole with defibrillators for hands.

After exiting at a peak covered by salt making it look like snow, Lail's Siracle slid down a gigantic slope into a field of brown clay, the next mountain in the series much further away. The field was contoured by depressions and giant rainbow-colored clusters of crystals, and as Siracle curved around the decor Lail noticed giant rocks starting to join the fray, then-

A gargantuan Steelix, raised in the air and standing almost as tall as the mountain next to it. But it was not facing Lail; it was glancing at a pile of giant boulders and next to that a girl, minuscule in comparison to the steel serpent beside her.

She seemed to notice the Siracle galloping behind her for she quickly turned around, her outfit turning with her: a giant bow implanted on her chest had two long ends that flew in the wind along with a long, thin scarf around her neck. Her light brown hair and eyes contrasted with a silver off-shoulder mini dress, held by shoulder straps sporting Magnemite icon hooks.

Skidding to a halt, Siracle dug its feet in the ground and gazed at the back of the Steelix. Lail, still riding his Pokemon, also found himself in awe until the girl spoke up.

"Oh- hi, we were just practicing in this area when we noticed this landslide blocking the entrance to the mountain. There aren't supposed to be landslides here...it must be caused by a Pokemon...but don't worry- Steelix will clear it super fast!"

She turned back to her original position, a long ponytail also flapping in the wind - a part of her dancing attire. To add to it, two red orbs shined on the top of her head raising hair in each one like bunny ears, and reinforced sandals softly crunched the gravel underneath as she moved.

"Steelix - Earthquake!"

A giant tail crashed into the ground, casting a shock wave onto the mountain that Lail could feel through his spine. The Steelix reared up and roared - even higher than before - and the ground underneath it began to shatter and rumble, trembling under the colossal Pokemon. Then the boulders began to part, breaking into a million pieces or rolling away, desperate to put distance between them and the mountain. Soon all that was left was dust and minerals scattered on the magically restored ground, as if the earth never moved.

"Um, sorry about that! Steelix might look intimidating, but steel types are very calm, cool and collected- no lies! But I should introduce myself... my name is Jasmine." Her Steelix now noticed the strangers its trainer was talking to, and lowered itself to the ground so that it rested its giant head beside her, still bigger than her entire body. She stroked its cheek.

"I actually just came to this region; I'm originally from Johto- oh! Judging from that look on your face, are you from there too? Then would it be weird if I told you this region feels a lot like home? It's hard to explain, but it feels like there's several elements that mirror Johto, like Passenity..."

Even though she had a metal bodyguard multiple times her size, she seemed to act timidly, shifting both her gaze and weight. "Have you just come here as well? I've been sort of searching, first in Johto, then Sinnoh where I met someone who taught me a lot- but yeah! Now I'm here to hopefully get even stronger because of what I've heard, but now that I've cleared the landslide, I should go!"

She drew up a Pokeball to her Steelix's face, withdrawing it in a red light. She then anxiously threw another Pokeball into the air, and out popped a Skarmory that looped then soared toward the ground. "I, um, might see you again!" And in a swift motion, she jumped onto her Pokemon and flew off.

Still recovering from the previous sight, Lail entered the cave just recently carved into which possessed an interesting interior with cyan, green, and pink crystals hanging from ceilings and jutting from crevices and small sparkling rivers. But even with much more to explore, the drive of adventure, like the clay, soon hardened.

The adventure did not stop at these mountains; Lail continued to the south of the city, passing another wooden gate onto a small, earthy path surrounded by wet grass and bushes leading into another forest.

Stopping to take a quick breath, he entered forest number two, silently followed by another far behind him.

\---

_Another Termina - Chrono Cross_

_[The theme for Route 702, connecting Vicecara and the Crystal Summits. It's mostly a straight, sandy path, but blocked by gigantic pillars of crystals in different colors, requiring detours. Hills and stone also require the player to walk up and down stairs. The ground raises up into plateau-like formations on the edges of the route.]_

_Another Voyage - Chrono Cross_

_[Jasmine's theme.]_

_ Torigoth (Night) - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[For Route 704, connecting Vicecara and the forest you will see in the next part. It's a zigzagging route possessing shabby houses modeled after the ones in Vicecara, but more sporadic and overgrown. Right before the forest, though, it's a clear, straight path with short grass on either side.]_


	4. Roriglade

Lail entered underneath a roof of greenery; tall trees rose into the sky, so compact they formed walls, boxing him inside. The only way out was a narrow strip behind him, for the path ahead quickly narrowed, squeezed by the wood. A little further along, the roof shortened; a sort of natural arch started to form. Ducking under it, Lail crossed into a different area of the forest, almost as if the arch acted as a door between rooms. Standing back upright, he found himself in another world, trying to take the sudden change in.

The vegetation seemed to borrow off Vicecara's palette: blue vines invaded the ground and hung from the leaf ceiling; purple bushes grew in branches like coral and hugged the bases of trees and other plants; white cabbage-looking vegetables laid in rows on edges of the forest. The bizarre winter freak-show was topped off by lime green and yellow bioluminescent mushrooms poking their heads out of nooks and crannies everywhere, trashing the previously presumed fearsome look and instead giving the forest a sense of magnificent childlike wonder. Staked to a tree a sign read: "Unnacturne Forest - The Night Dancers."

Rather than the wide clearing that Ethearth had, this forest kept to a very narrow maze of trails, carrying U-turns, circle-arounds, walkways, and dead ends aplenty. It reminded Lail of a zoo, admiring the amazing plants of all different kinds boxed in by the assortments of paths of earth.

As the environment of the forests changed, so did the Pokemon: Aipom and Pineco hung from threads of leaves and string, Foongus and Morelull skidded into bushes and camouflaged themselves quite splendidly, and Venipede scurried along the ground, peeking out of the coral-like plants. Lail encountered the tyrant of the oddity - a giant mummified insect with colorful mushrooms shining on its back. Most dauntingly was its ability to stand on two feet. A couple roamed the forest, a traveling challenge to any unsuspecting trainer.

Few trainers, however, walked around the paths, most likely from the little space that existed on the narrow trails. One particular Ace Trainer had a Revigen of their own, a daunting sight standing as tall as the trainer and its back resonating with the surrounding trees. Another had a Mitichoris, a white sphere of an insect that looked like a pale, plasma lamp. Aside from the couple battles, Lail didn't face much else continuing on deeper into the forest. In fact, he encountered almost no trainers in the last half until...

"Lail! Wait."

Zinnia was jogging up to Lail from a small shadowy trail behind them, her gray clothes lit green by the decorated mushrooms. A gray bag stuffed with papers and Pokeballs bounced behind her, hanging on by a long strap on her shoulder. She slowed to a stop, raised herself up and now the mushrooms lit up her scarlet eyes.

"I was already heading the way you're going - passing Vicecara - when I heard you had just beaten Amber."

Lail curiously stared at Zinnia, not sure why someone, albeit friendly, would show such a sudden interest in him.

"I wanted to congratulate you, but more truthfully, I wanted to battle you. I'm still trying to figure out my team now that I'm no longer in Hoenn...but maybe battling you will help me. Could you?"

Lail nodded and prepared for battle, curious to see the team of a girl with experience from Hoenn and now Endeima.

\---

_ Parody - Jesse Monkman _

_[This theme plays whenever in Unnacturne Forest.]_

_ Sunset Colosseum - Pokemon Battle Revolution _

_[This reinvented theme plays whenever fighting a Zinnia trying to reinvent herself, a more lighthearted theme for more lighthearted fights with her. She bends her knees side to side, then does the bowling run like in ORAS except smiling instead of possessing a crazed look.]_

_Pokemon Zinnia uses: Bagon, Caprong, Weaker Starter*_

\---

Defeated, Zinnia returned her last Pokemon to its Pokeball and faintly smiled.

"Wow...you really have a lot of potential. You seem to already have grown with your team, even if no member is permanent. I wonder if you're liking this region any more now. You don't have to have a definite answer, but places in Endeima like this forest really ease your mind. It's surprising to me actually how much solace you can find in this region..."

They surveyed the paintings of forest on both sides of the trail, the twinkling vegetation and spiraling colors that slowly swayed and breathed with the wind. Lail thought it really did seem calming - that if he was more comfortable with this region, he could stay in these forests forever.

The soft crunch of earth alerted Zinnia and Lail back into the present, and they turned to the shadowy path to see who was approaching.

"You beat the Vicecara gym leader shockingly fast, I suppose I should also offer my congratulations..." calmly emitted a voice from the darkness as the man from the pharmacy emerged with his white and blue Zangoose proudly beside him.

"And who are you?" Zinnia asked as she slowly stepped forward, her eyes narrowing so that the mushrooms' light no longer reflected off of them.

"My name is Kuro, a fellow trainer on the same path as your friend here." Kuro crossed into the light along with his Zangoose, and both stood bathed in the same greenish glow. Seeing him again, Lail now noted that he also wore a black hat with a circular brim, shaped like a Murkrow's. He, along with obsidian black eyes, seemed to hide himself behind its shadow against the light no matter which angle a person was seeing from.

"How on Groudon do you know so much about Lail and me already?"

The mystical facade surrounding Kuro seemed to slightly diminish, his face hardening as he faced Zinnia. A few sounds emitted from his Zangoose, its eyes darting around restlessly. "News travels fast in such a small region, of a teenager so quickly defeating two gym leaders with a newfound starter. And I believe pursuing the same goal will mean our paths will intertwine indefinitely, having already just met in Vicecara."

Silently analyzing, Zinnia stood off to the side and continued to glare at Kuro.

Kuro, wordlessly acknowledging her approach, faced Lail. "So you're just now eighteen? Much more reasonable - so many children, just turning ten or so, are just sent out into the world to catch Pokemon and battle strangers alone." He reached down to stroke the area behind his Zangoose's ears, who instantly jumped up rigid for battle, relaxing once it recognized the touch. "In Vicecara we simply met. But now, I ask that I may battle you and see the team of someone viewed with such promise."

Zinnia flung her arm out and pushed Lail back, actually causing him to stagger before regaining his balance. "I'm sorry, but I still don't trust you. Lail is still starting out, and just something about you..."

Kuro nearly chuckled. "I assure you I have no intentions other than battling your friend. And what makes you think he's not capable? Especially after what you have witnessed yourself?"

"Lail... had a rough start in Endeima and wasn't sure about how to start a new life here, so I proposed he try the the Endeima League challenge, and I think he really has the aptitude to succeed, but-"

"Your friend still isn't sure about anything. In fact, he's only challenging the gym leaders because of your suggestion."

"Oh?"

Lail hid back from the standoff, and felt ashamed of being unsure of what to do in this moment. Challenging the Endeima League was indeed Zinnia's idea, but he had taken it in and started an adventure of his own. His grudge of this region was wearing off; he could feel the bond with his starter reverberating through his bag, and his spirit reverberating with every step in this forest.

As if led by another being, he strode past Zinnia to stare up at Kuro, face to face. He wasn't sure about what to do; he just wanted to travel with his Pokemon and maybe take the Endeima League challenge with the friends he made along it. Was that not good enough for this man? Whatever his intentions, whatever his ideals, he would engage.

Kuro stepped back to make room, his Zangoose shuffling along the edge. Lail quickly nodded to Zinnia, then took out a Pokeball for battle.

\---

_ Unavoidable Battle - Persona 3 Reincarnation _

_[This theme plays whenever fighting Kuro. He lightly tosses a Pokeball without looking at the screen. He also uses all Poke Balls.]_

_Pokemon Kuro uses: Drifloon, Stronger Starter*, Zangoose_

_\---_

After letting out an almost indistinguishable sigh along with calling back his Pokemon, Kuro stood in silence with his head down. Wind snuck through the crevices of the forest, rustling the mushrooms and causing the light show to twinkle and wave.

The calmness washing over them once again, Kuro opened his eyes and spoke. "No harm done, right? Now I know what I'm up against, and I will make sure I am much stronger next time we meet."

Suddenly, Zangoose twitched its ears once again, raising the attention of everyone as it emitted a deep growl toward the sky. Kuro looked at his partner then down at the earth. "So this darkness continues? Then we should move on..."

"Other people have said something similar... do you really believe there is some darkness looming over the region?" asked Zinnia, breaking her quietude.

Brushing past both Zinnia and Lail toward the rest of the trail, Kuro replied, still hiding his head under his Murkrow hat. "Yes. My Zangoose senses it, and I sense its tension. The world grows gloomier; I want to become Champion, because I believe I possess the spirit to help bring Endeima to balance."

He slowly turned around and beckoned to the trail, still leading further into the forest. "Well then. Shall I lead us the rest of the way?" Without waiting for an answer, he set off down the path, Zangoose jogging up then trailing behind him.

Lail looked at Zinnia, who looked equally bewildered. Slowly they followed behind Kuro along the rest of Unnacturne Forest.

\---

Blue, then green, then yellow, the spectating mushrooms continued to cast a glow along the route. It wasn't until they were almost out of the forest, as Kuro said, when the ground widened and the nature parted its show.

"Professor Spruce mentioned encounters in the wild where Pokemon appeared restless, more than they ever should. In fact, we confronted a Morgetta out of the water that looked incensed. So you think these are related to this supposed gloom?" Zinnia had continued to relate to Kuro, becoming increasingly interested in the mystery she first heard with Lail from the professor.

"I'm not sure. I don't think the Pokemon are acting this way because of it, but rather responding to it. Of course, I'm still figuring it out myself..." Kuro continued to lead them as he talked without looking back.

Sunlight blinded the small group as the canopy of vegetation finally broke, giving way to a clearing with only a few bending trunks and bushes scattered throughout, _this_ giving the sense of a decorated garden. Zangoose tugged on Kuro's sleeve, and after once again receiving everyone's attention - purposefully this time - pointed across the clearing, where Lail just noticed three other people and a Pokemon entering the clearing on the other side.

Kuro scoffed, Zinnia "oh"ed - Lail did not know who they were, but the woman strode closer with two young people, possibly teenagers, following behind her on either side like retainers. As she came into the sunlight, the woman's long green hair lit up like the leaf of an ivy. It traveled down her shoulders and her dress: a white chestplate morphing into a fine cloth which was also long and flowing, stopping to only reveal bare feet. He took most note of the pendant she wore, in the shape of an ovate leaf and the most remarkable attribute of her entire self, gleaming green even when cast in shadow. Deep jade eyes, too, shined through.

She stopped as well, and an imaginary hook suddenly sprouted from the center of the clearing, both her and Kuro abruptly striding toward each other, the members behind them on each side struggling to keep up from both speed and confusion.

"That's Midori, the Champion..." Zinnia finally uttered as the groups came nearly face to face with one another, intrigued as she secretly gazed at the woman from behind Kuro's back. Lail decided to try to observe this woman closer too, and felt a rush of nobility gush through his body. 

Rustling beside Midori was a giant tiger, its body reaching her stomach. It had a silver coat with gleaming, emerald green stripes and pink petals wrapping around its neck. More amazingly, Lail noted to himself, was a tiger lily for its tail. It growled slightly then faltered as Midori rested her hand on its back. 

Behind her stood the young man and woman, acting like awkward teenagers shifting their weight. On the left, the girl had short pink hair with an attire of brown and red armor which, next to Midori, looked like a failed imitation of the Champion's garb. On the right stood a well built boy wearing loose strands of clothing, tied together by red cord. His light brown hair also used this same string, the back of it tied in a bun almost like a smushed pretzel - the rest of it, short and freely flowing. He had a smudge of dirt on his cheek which he proudly wore with a smile as the awkwardness reached him too. 

"Midori, what's your purpose out here with a couple of lackeys?" Kuro called out, eyeing ever closer. 

"These are not my lackeys." Midori firmly replied, nodding her head behind her. "This is Reiah and Daggen. I happen to be training them."

"Personal training from the Champion. Champions are known to help out, but I've never heard of something this involved." whispered Zinnia to Lail, almost hunched down to take it all in. Zangoose's ears quickly twitched and it sent a sly look back over its shoulder before resuming position.

"From what?! Are we going to try to fight innocent Pokemon?" Kuro took a step forward and Zangoose followed suit.

"I would think _you_ would know why, Kuro."

"I'm afraid I don't."

"In fact, it's convenient you're here. I was wondering if you could account for your whereabouts last night, when the Vicecara museum got smashed into."

Kuro casted a shield with his hat, his eyes appearing narrower just from the shade. "I was nowhere near the museum last night, and _I'm_ afraid trying to pin it on me will be a waste of time."

Now Midori took a step, the tiger grunting at Zangoose which sneered back in reply. She stared at Kuro with a fire in her eyes and he responded with eyes of black flame. How did they know each other? "Nothing will stop you from lying now, but I won't forget what you've said in the past. I know what you plan to do, and I know what you want from there. But if it does turn out that's no longer who you are, I'll retire how I've been." Even though Lail could feel the heat in her eyes from several feet away, there subsisted a desperate aura to her demeanor that he couldn't explain.

Kuro slyly smirked and turned to where the other group had entered. "The only thing I want is the right ideals being enforced by the right Champion." He turned to Lail and Zinnia and gave a half-wave as he started to head off. "I'll see you two."

He left, and Midori hung down her head. Realizing how she was acting, she quickly straightened up, brushed off her dress and turned with a swish of her hair, but then stopped her course catching sight of Lail.

"So, you're Lail?"

He nodded, anxious as she continued to analyze him without saying anything else.

"Midori? Um, I was wondering about my Pokemon," asked Reiah, calling the Champion back. She took one last split second glance at Lail before leaving with the two trainees.

"Come on Lail, let's go." said Zinnia dispiritedly as the next group of people also vanished beyond the clearing, readjusting her bag. "Professor Spruce had given me directions beforehand, and Verudia City is literally just around the corner. That can be the next stop."

On the other side of the clearing, the path narrowed once more under a canopy, but with shorter trees and no more signs of the bright, creative vegetation. Soon a door of light appeared and Lail and Zinnia passed through, leaving the forest entirely and met with something painfully familiar. Spit out again, Lail groaned at the tiring sight of taiga trees, although these ones looked a little different, colored differently in black and orange tints.

The pair stood at a four-way intersection outlined by orange and red trees. On the left, a marsh; straight ahead, another route; guided by the trees to the right, a sign proclaiming "Verudia City: A mix of tradition and technology!"

"Wow...that Roriglade...it can really set the tone of a field, can't it?" reflected Zinnia, leading the way into the city and staring up at the gray canopy-less sky. "It's basically Midori's signature Pokemon, and for good reason. I've never seen it until now, and wow..."

An autumn leaf-colored floor faded to a solid line of pavement, marking the border into the city. The pair faced the inviting, single street named Verudia, the wind blowing on their backs and dew slowly forming on brown grass bursting out of cement.


	5. Aardict

Verudia City reminded Lail of an elongated amphitheater: the entirety existed as two long sides of a street with a humongous elevated concert stage at the far end, whose sound would blow away anyone standing where he was. Zinnia had walked ahead to finish her errand for the professor, leaving him alone in the middle of the vast road.

Each side of the street he began to walk down looked like a strip mall, but crammed next to old traditional houses that jutted out of stone, groaning and leaning as grasses invaded the cracked sidewalk in front of them. But after seeing the mixture of steel and white concrete combine to create a lively, textured street, Lail thought the houses fit in perfectly.

Ensuing knocking on one of the doors out of curiosity, a middle aged woman donning baggy green clothes, orange curly hair and way too much red lipstick persuasively invited him inside, where she brought him to a kitchen table and plopped down a cup of Ribombee Sweet Honey Tea. A Linoone came busting out of another room, dashing to Lail and sniffing his sneakers. The lady performed a noblewoman's laugh as she endeared on her Pokemon's love for shiny things and scouting strangers.

In another house a different lady - this time a mom - let Lail inside where she read a children's story to her little daughter called _The Zenhara and the Monk_. ("And so the Zenhara said," the mother read, "'I will give you this power. But you must use it wisely, and only as much as you need'. 'I will,' replied the monk. 'I swear by your oath.' So the people were given the gift of electricity, where they could make their own light and therefore made the days longer"). The girl sat on a green pillow on the floor hugging a Kangaskhid next to her, the duo clinging together like balloons and electrically charged hair.

A rundown television set left on mute suddenly changed programs, and the mom turned it up to watch while her daughter and Kangaskhid played patty-cake on the carpet.

Trumpets blared; a Luxury Ball spun onto the screen, then both halves split in opposite directions to reveal text all while a catchy fanfare played.

"Welcome to ND-1, Endeima's News Broadcast. I'm Reporter Sakanari. On the other side is Reporter Toushan and in the middle is our assistant, Mimi."

Between a man and woman in a black suit sat a Mr. Mime shuffling papers. It looked up. "Mime!"

Sakanari cleared his throat. "Today, the Pokemon species Tybacotta, a flying rock type with emeralds for eyes officially became marked as extinct. It was native to the left island of Endeima and also was a very important pollinator if I recall correctly, Toushan."

"That's right, Sakanari. According to our very own Professor Spruce, it could fly between the Arctic and Rainforest regions and would make sure every plant in between grew up happy and healthy."

"Mime, mime!"

"A sad day for our earth insect friends. In further news, a music competition will be held in Verudia City, our broadcasting home, in the to-be-determined future. We don't know what to expect yet, but we sure are pumped! Stay tuned for further info throughout the year."

"Miiiiii-mi-mi-miiiime~"

"We now return to the break-in at the Vicecara City museum, where detectives still try to figure out the culprit-"

The next house featured an old couple who constantly argued, even to let Lail in. The old man offered a glass of Ribombee Tea while his wife screamed that the tea wasn't real tea - contained too much sugar and would stain your teeth - and instead insisted on hot water all while waving frantically at her husband.

When the atmosphere calmed down (somewhat) the old man set down his glass of hot water and asked Lail if he ever heard the legend of Endeima.

"In a world tormented by darkness," the man began, leaning back in his chair and contemplating as if he rehearsed this many times before, "a divine being appeared, summoned by the plea of the Tadia - an ancient tribe that roamed Endeima. However, the entity could not interact with our world, for a veil of shadow locked it behind a realm of spirit. The Tadia formed a shrine that, when lit, would release the barrier. So the entity swooped down onto the continent, bestowing all of its light. But when the light drained, it grew weak and returned to the realm of spirit once more to replenish itself, hailed as a savior by all-"

"Lies! LIES! The divine whats-it was never respected at all!" butted in his wife. "The people blamed it for everything! It FLED to get away from us, and now we're all doomed!"

"Shut up! Shut up you old Jynx! The people that handed down your version were nothing but pessimists who wanted to live apart from the rest of the region anyways! But no matter which side, it's still talons ahead of that dreaded Dravyn Hooklink who probably got his 'history' from old batties who couldn't say their own name!"

"That's true. Hooklink corrupting our past for a mere buck. I despise his lot."

Escaping into the cool air of the outside street, Lail gazed at the shops and modernized buildings - Bonny & Bonsly Potted Goods, Pokemart of the Future, ND-1 Station - until he almost ran into Zinnia once again, looking back at the street just in time.

"Oh- hi. I think by now I should've learned to watch where I'm going... I just finished that errand. Verudia is so different from anywhere on this region I've seen, although I guess by how you look at it, it could be a good or bad thing."

Zinnia blankly stared at the giant stage situated inside a tall, open, circular building that looked almost as if a ball just got cut in half. "I didn't want to think it at first, but it really is amazing..." she thought out loud. "Mauville city only comes close to something like that..."

Both her and Lail promptly pivoted to a large building across the street that suddenly issued a loud series of beeping sounds and honks. "An arcade?" Zinnia said, staring up at a blinking neon sign flashing "Pink and Blue Verudia Game Corner - Addicting Like Gray!"

"I'm not much of a gambler...but I kind of want to see how it looks." She turned to Lail whose look offered some reassurance.

\---

Lail entered an even busier city of fluorescent bulbs and machines. Hot pink and baby blue tubes ran across the ceiling and occasionally pulsated white light through like a mail tube. Explosions from kiosks and rattling of slot machines filled the game corner with clouds of sound.

He shortly watched a young couple play Staravia Hockey, a kid playing a game called Tyrantrum Escape, then various other customers run through a couple attempts at the slot machines, where Koffing on the screen guffawed if someone lost and an Alolan-Muk gurgling if someone happened to win, the colors on its body constantly moving upwards in different neon colors.

Zinnia disappearing to somewhere else, Lail decided to try his hand at the slot machines, scrolling up and down the hallway of nothing but the same gold machinery. He just started when a piercing popping sound broke his concentration, making him look down the aisle. A slot machine at the far end was malfunctioning, blinking on and off and emitting a low hum of static. The corner it was in looked much darker; the light above the machine had broken. Lail slowly approached the defective game trying to get a closer look, and the humming seemed to steadily grow louder and fluctuate with the screen now shifting between various black shapes between bursts of static. Suddenly - the second Lail stood in front it - the machine flashed completely white, casting a blinding beam that extended far beyond the screen, making him freeze and cover his eyes; the humming morphed into a mechanical scream as the light in the ceiling and lights in every cranny of the slot machine radiated bright white.

From the screen - which Lail saw through split second glances - a figure started to form, first a black shape then something three-dimensional... and then paws left the screen, outstretched and part of something more, and soon an entire Pokemon was emanating out of it. The white light began to rapidly flash, giving Lail a chance to seize a Pokeball. Then the light suddenly snapped off and it attacked.

\---

_ Aspertia City - Pokemon Black and White 2 _

_[I included this track because it's part of the inspiration for this city. It also somewhat fits, methinks.]_

_ Bad Apple!! - Touhou 4: LLS _

_[Music for the Endeima Game Corner. :^)]_

_ Condemnation - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[A high level wild Aardict appears, which snickers and covers its mouth with its front paws as it does so. It raises an aura like a Totem Pokemon that_ _glows pink and_ _raises its speed and attack once. It also automatically leads with a Flash before the first turn starts, lowering the accuracy of the first Pokemon sent out. Every third turn it will use Flash outside of its normal turn, like a boss cheat, and every second turn it will use Foul Play. When they sync, it does both. When defeated, it begins to run and make a U-turn. The screen quickly flashes white once and it disappears.]_

\---

His eyes and ears still adjusting, Lail returned his Pokemon to its Pokeball. The machine standing in front of him looked completely normal, playing the same catchy tune and waiting for him to start another round. He looked back at the aisle he just walked down and saw Zinnia and a few strangers accompanying her shuffling toward him.

After listening to the crazy recounted tale, Zinnia glared at the normal machine in front of them and blinked. "It's funny. After something similar already happening to us, its not that hard for me to believe it. But I've- never heard of _anything_ being able to do that, and just... what..."

The owner of the game corner, sporting a potbelly and crazy light-up sunglasses, strode over to the scene. "Ah, a victim of Aardict, are ye?"

"Aardict?" asked Zinnia. "Is that the name of the Pokemon?"

"Sure is, miss. A pesky Aardict likes to hide in the games around here and frighten anyone playing them. It's the nature of 'em, even rose a few urban legends around here 'cause of it. But looks like you here gave it a run for its money!" The man guffawed, overlooked the machine for maximum coverage, apologized to Lail with a free pass for the arcade, then returned to his private office.

The blaring sound and banging diminished as Lail exited with Zinnia, walking down Verudia City's street back to the entrance. "That Aardict sounds like such an interesting Pokemon," Zinnia expressed to Lail. "But I'm not sure I would want to be responsible for something that can possess machines and trick anyone it wants to."

They crossed the line between concrete and dirt and entered the four-way intersection that greeted their dispersal from Unnacturne Forest. "Well," Zinnia began, switching back to tour-guide mode, looking down a long route to the right of them. "What you want is that way, but there are some interesting locations around here still, if you don't mind me showing you real quick."

Across the intersection at a gap between the orange and black taiga trees, Zinnia beckoned to Lail. "This is the Ardor of Verudia. Professor Spruce told me 'ardor' doesn't mean a physical place, but represents the vitality of the city. Apparently it's like a giant marsh with lots of fog and different effects changing all the time. There's also rumored to be strong bug Pokemon that lurk deep within... I normally don't think much of bugs, but a part Dragon, part Bug Pokemon is said to exist in here which will definitely be my next objective.

"To get to the third gym, just go down the route to the right and it will guide you there. Feel free to follow me to check out the marsh if you want, but I'm going to find that dragon. See you later..." Zinnia crept walked into the Ardor, leaving Lail at the crossroads.

Deciding to investigate the marsh, he entered shortly after. The scenery immediately changed into a large wetland with brown cattails and giant red lily pads. Tall, squishy grass also surrounded the shallow water, dividing between the trees and the Ardor as well as invading several areas inside. An invigorating aura rushed through the area, Lail sensing its etymology. Specks of red light filtered through the air like fireflies and contributed to the harmony of the dusky enclosure.

He waddled through the opening area, stepping over floating logs and encountering wild Pokemon such as Masquerain and Gloom, the latter hiding inside dark green blades of grass and making dopey sounds as he passed, looking up at him with eyes that could have been closed.

His venture turned short, however, as a blanket of fog appeared and filled the rest of the marsh, making Lail unable to see anything beyond the area he came in from. Backing out of the Ardor, he wondered how Zinnia would be able to anything from her end.

So now, heading right, Lail continued down Route 707 marked by another wooden sign. ("ROUTE 707 - Medieval Alleyway of the Voyance Manor.") The black and orange pattern of the trees faded into the overbearing dark green once again outlining his path.

Traveling south in a basic straight line offering nothing but a slideshow of identical taigas, Lail felt almost bored until he came across a sharp path leading left into the solid forest of trees. A wide sign that could belong in a campground stood out front reading "Battle Circle." After every other place he explored, Lail decided why not.

The detour seemed extremely man made, the trees sliced straight with barely any extra breathing space. After a while, the tree tunnel cleared and transitioned into an isolated clearing with the same cherrypicked cutting, a small circle in the middle with trailers parked in the back and tents laid out in the outskirts.

A man and woman exited the tents to greet him, the woman looking exactly like the caretaker at the Pokemon Center and holding a Happiny, and the man looking like a ninja with a cape and Ninjask buzzing beside him.

"Hello!" said the woman springing up to Lail. "I see you discovered the Battle Circle in progress! Um, since we're still in the works, I guess I should explain it real fast!

"Do you know anything about the Battle Frontier? Well, we're a collection of trainers from all over familiar with the system after touring Hoenn, Sinnoh, then Johto, and we found out Endeima doesn't have one! So we are all working to create our very own Endeima Battle Frontier. But right now it's not much, just a few trainers and tents that we hope to turn into actual buildings..."

The ninja man chimed in. "So instead what we're doing is calling it the Battle Circle, a place where you can go around once a day and challenge a variety of trainers like us in a circular motion. By the way, I'm Shurik and this is Joy, who wanted to stray from her current life and become a full fledged Pokemon Trainer. Pleasure to meet you Sir...Lail." He then bowed with a motion of his cape after Lail told him his name.

Lail studied the clearing, a paved gravel road making a perfect circle around a giant, softly crackling bonfire. Its orange glow radiated onto the surrounding trees, the ground darker than outside and contrasting the fire with a purple tone. Even though the space should have felt quiet and isolated in the middle of a thick forest, its compact attribute along with the clusters of trainers, trailers, and tents exuded a homey atmosphere. A very powerful feeling of comfort struck through him; Joy's Happiny let out a concerned cry as it ogled at Lail, making Joy giggle.

Joy then stood up straighter and put the arm not holding her Pokemon on her hip. "We don't have much, but we'll give all we can offer. If you ever want to battle us, we accept your challenge!"

So, before leaving the folksy gathering, Lail made sure to battle the ones willing who situated themselves on the paved circle and waited for their challenge.

\---

_Guest of Shade - Fire Emblem Fates_

_[For Route 707, which extends from Unnacturne Forest to the mansion. All of its attractions are on the sides, Verudia City on the left and the Ardor/Battle Circle on the right if you're looking at the route from outside the mansion. It's a fairly simple route with gravel and pockets of wild grass on the very edges. They curve into the trees, and there's also lanterns and benches and stuff.]_

_Dim Moonlight - Fire Emblem Fates_

_[For the Verudia Ardor. You can only access part of it right now...]_

_ Campground (Night) - Animal Crossing: New Leaf _

_[The theme that I imagine would play for the Battle Circle, at least when first encountering it. Its an optional area that can be challenged once a day, and the area and trainers will progress with the story.]_

_ Road Taken (Roar) - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[I'd imagine the regular battle theme as the most fitting (for now...)]_

_For the first encounter with the Battle Circle, there will be three trainers to battle: Joy, Shurik, and a third named Lottie who uses cute Pokemon and/or Pokemon based on knowledge. Trainers will be added as time progresses as well as more difficulty to their teams._

_\---_

Further south, Lail noticed a stone mountain in the distance, peeking over the treeline almost straight ahead of him. The path suddenly swerved left, however, and the mountain left his view as he now walked along a darker road and much more silent, too. 

The border of trees to his right started to give up; Lail wondered why until they left their position completely to reveal a vast, spooky mansion with a vast, overgrown courtyard in front of it, stone ground encircling a patch of dirt with a twisted tree with wicked branches. Lail viewed all of this from afar, as a black wrought iron gate blocked the entrance, an emblem of a skull implanted in the center. A silver plaque shined on the right post. "Welcome to Voyance Manor," it read. "And keep out."


	6. Hyazar

Chilly wind rustled through multi-colored wild grasses inhabiting the courtyard and blew between the onyx pickets of the gate, blasting Lail in the face. The wrought iron structure in front of him was already twice his height, the distant mansion even higher, and all the while he thought this scene didn't fit with Endeima at all.

"Are we trying to get in?" issued a voice - and as Lail turned around to see - from a bizarre character of a man who also didn't belong.

He wore a black and gray pair of slacks, suit, and tie that looked purposefully torn up and ragged. He also possessed a pair of droopy gray eyes along with gray hair that looked as if a batch of paint buckets accidentally spilled on it; spots of pink, blue, and other colors seemed to be dyed in it randomly. 

For some reason, his appearance along with his demeanor reminded Lail of a Pokemon he'd seen before. He slid past Lail to confront the black gate, observing the imprinted emblem.

"Hmm," he murmured, contemplating a devilish human skull with empty, slanted sockets and a groaning mouth. "Never did admire it much. The dark gym is in there, did you know? I can get you in."

Lail blinked.

"I possess super special access, being the caretaker and all. No problem for me. Now where did I put the key... hang on." The man lazily nudged the gate with one hand and it opened and parted, creaking all the way.

"Forgot to lock it. Or I just decided not to. I forget. Anyways, the gym is in the mansion and I can take you there if you're ready. Follow me." He stepped into the courtyard and stopped by the tree, looking around idly as Lail reluctantly followed him inside.

Once both stood by the twisted trunk, the man continued. "This used to be a magnificent house and a magnificent garden. People would come here to bury their Pokemon as you can see from the graves by this tree, but then it became overrun by ghost Pokemon who terrorized the place and possessed the guests, driving them to insanity and making them ultimately end their own lives."

He stared at Lail with a blank face. "Just kidding. But no one except the most daring challengers come here anymore because of the rumors- well, except me of course, and Shrika- oh, you haven't met her yet? Well I certainly don't want to spoil anything... right, the gym is right over here, follow me."

They approached the stone steps to the front of the mansion when the man stopped again and turned around.

"I lied. The gym is actually to our left."

Panning away from the mansion, Lail rested his eyes on a worn-down shack, the roof threatening to slide off and a poorly drawn gym icon, etched on a wooden square, hanging diagonally by the single old front door.

"It used to just be a place for storage, but then it got refurbished into a gym because I refused to have it in any other place." said the man, passing Lail to poise himself inside the open doorway which led into a pitch black room.

"That's right, I'm the dark type gym leader around this area. Name's Devin. The mansion and atmosphere certainly fit, don't they? I await your challenge when you're ready to enter. And try not to quiver where you stand; I don't bite, but my Pokemon might." Devin slowly backed into the shack with another blank face, then faded into the shadow after making the I'm-watching-you gesture at Lail.

Prepared for an intense battle but not knowing what to expect for the trial, Lail entered the shack shortly after into a world of complete darkness. He could not see his own self or sense the walls next to him. The isolation magnified his own breathing as he attempted to maneuver through the interior of the shack, which Lail quickly theorized was much more tricked out than the exterior led him to believe.

Now walking down some hallway with the floor echoing with each footstep, Lail noticed a split second flash of white ahead of him, making a quick dash to the side then fading into nothing, its contrasting brightness burned into his eyes. He hurried up his pace, making sure to remain perfectly straight in alignment when he bumped into something- or someone, as a candle burst into flame and an old woman grinned at Lail, her right hand holding a candlestick and the left a Dusk Ball reflecting the orange glow. "Challenger wants to win the Menace Badge? Challenger must find his way out of the dark maze as the people he defeat light the way for him. Hee-ha-hee!"

The game was on: Lail, aided by the flickering lights of each opponent in the gym, hasted his flow and knocked out trainer by trainer, curving past wall by wall. He noticed a hidden decor added to the shack he would never see without the candles: large, elegant spider webs filled corners, fake skulls towered next to each other in columns, and unlit candle altars situated themselves inside cubbies in the wall. Lail felt like he was inside the mansion itself.

Another turn guided him to a new spectacle: a small, tower-like room shaped like a hexagon - the end of the maze. The decor increased tenfold by supplying stacks of books on broken wooden bookshelves symmetrically situated on the side walls. Potions and glass vials joined the books; mounds of dirt with black briers stuck out of the floor; a giant, spooky coffin leaned against the back wall facing Lail with two giant candle holders on each side, shaped like pillars, burning enigmatic purple. Castle windows let in dark light, placed on each wall of the hexagon up high, which shined on Lail as he crossed into the room.

The coffin creaked as a hand slowly grabbed the edge from the inside, then instantly flung open as Devin jumped out of it into the center, brushing off his already dirty pants and raising his arms as if welcoming an entire audience. "Welcome... did I scare you? No, wasn't really expecting to. Well, perhaps." He shifted to raising his left arm toward Lail, looking like he was about to ask him for a dance.

"And now, if you may, a battle against the holder of the Menace Badge will commence." He dug into his pocket and threw up a Dusk Ball, catching it and spinning it on his index finger.

\---

_Pray to the Dark - Fire Emblem Fates_

_[Devin's theme.]_

_ Driver VS - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[For his pose, Devin looks up and situates his tie with a sarcastic aura. He then reaches into his pocket and slings out a Pokeball in sort of just one motion. A Dragular pops out of the midair Pokeball and flies in midair for battle. Devin uses all Dusk Balls.]_

_Pokemon Devin uses: Dragular, Umbreon, Hyazar_

_\---_

Devin had first sent in a Dragular, a Pokemon that looked like a vampire just after a hospital visit, followed by an Umbreon and then a Hyazar, a grayish Hyena with neon spots and different shapes of black fur decorating its body. Checking his Pokedex, Lail discovered that it was the evolution for Aardict, the Pokemon who attacked him by jumping out of the slot machine. When Devin sent it in, it had raised its front paw to its face and snickered like a masterful taunter. Observing it in front of the gym leader, Lail could understand the cookie-cutter resemblance.

But the Hyazar went down, grimacing as it collapsed on the floor, and Devin grinned as he called it back. "Great battle! It was a pleasure. The Menace Badge is now in your hands. You may feel free to both explore the courtyard and flaunt that badge if someone such as myself asks what you're up to." He dug into his pockets again and threw out a badge which landed perfectly into Lail's outstretched hand.

"And as a bonus, you also receive the TM for Foul Play, a crafty move that uses the target's attack instead of your own to deal damage.

"But wait, there's more." He rummaged his pockets for a third time and handed Lail a different Ride Pager with a black stick and neon green colorings. "Have you encountered any fog blocking your path, scattering around noiselessly and disrupting your vision? Well now, there's a solution: I introduce Ride Shiftry, who can clear this fog for you, available for the price of beating one gym leader- which you just did, so it's yours! Happy defogging."

Lail spun to reverse his way out of the maze when Devin jumped in front of him for a final time. "Oh yeah. You should take this... back door." He lazily pulled open a door next to one of the bookshelves, painted to camouflage with the room.

Passing into the chilly breeze of the courtyard, Lail got the feeling this man enjoyed his own jokes a little too much.

\---

The courtyard offered other points of interest, such as brown, red and black grass growing between old pumpkins, as well as a stone fountain shunted to the far right that spewed chromatic colors like a liquid, acidic rainbow. As a finishing touch, swarms of Zubat circled the top of the mansion and swooped down occasionally to parade around the garden.

Inside the grasses were Drinkulip, small vampire bats as a predecessor for Dragular, cute pumpkins with baby dragon bodies and vines for limbs, Revigen and other familiar ghost Pokemon, and even an occasional Aardict with a malevolent aura tailing behind it.

Exiting the mansion through the black gates, Lail decided to summon Shiftry which then included traveling back to the Ardor of Verudia by clutching its back as it ran like a ninja. Inside the Ardor, Lail gave the signal and Shiftry focused its energy then flung its fanlike arms every which way, creating a strong gust ripping apart the blanket of fog.

His surroundings now brown and red instead of gray and white, Lail opted to explore further in. A catalog of Pokemon sprang up, most relating to the marshy expanse. More Gloom spectated from afar along with the croaking sounds of Croagunk. In the deepest parts of the marsh, Lail stumbled upon more ferocious Pokemon such as stalking Carnivine and also a silver kirin whose branchlike horns were actually antennae - was this the Pokemon Zinnia mentioned? As Lail tried to catch it, he noticed it seemed to grow stronger the more he tried to weaken it.

Shoes squashing on firmer ground, Lail ended his detour and returned to the mansion, now continuing left onto a different route ("Route 708 - Medieval Arc").

Following in the mansion's steps, the route darkened as well. However, paper lanterns hidden in the trees countered the creepiness with folksy feelings. The lanterns exerted an orangish color that also turned the trees orange, and some structures resembling fences were cast on the edges of the path sparsely. Even though no buildings existed, Lail thought of a town in the Middle Ages. Trainers also formed the route into a more involving experience than the past trails, standing within the lamps' glow and fighting with medieval-themed teams including a Doublade and a Braxien.

Lanterns diminished and the Medieval Arc left Lail behind as he now walked a straight path leading west, turned around by the route's geography. Somehow, the commonplace taigas seemed taller with even darker wood...

And there, peaking over everything else, was the stone mountain from before. Much closer, it loomed over the entire area and reflected the dark orange sun, basking a few shoddy buildings and a Pokemon Center below in the color. A splintered marker with white paint read, "Endeima National Park."

\---

The Pokemon Centers in Vicecara and Verudia were extremely well built with high tech facilities, a built in Pokemart, lounging area and a cafe, which in comparison made the one in front of Lail feel humble, very reminiscent of the one in the Vicecara Outskirts. A small mart and cafe still existed and wafted a comfortable sent to him and the couple other visitors. A hiker and his two daughters enjoyed sharing a Hearthome Cake (red velvet with white frosting and strawberries) at an old round table and an elderly couple read trail guides at the far side of the center.

Lail only noticed a couple other wooden shacks as he walked around further outside, most of the area devoted to the park itself. At a large flat sandy sporting area, two people were having a Pokemon battle. As he got closer he realized it was Daggen and Reiah with Midori, the Champion, standing on the side like a referee as the duel commenced.

"Shiftry, let's start with Razor Leaf!"

A daunting Shiftry in front of Daggen sprang up and flung out a patch of leaves like daggers.

"Gallade, protect, then attack like we worked on!"

Reiah's Gallade, an equally formidable Pokemon, stood in place and whacked the leaves aside with the blade on its arm then sprang up to meet Shiftry, its arms glowing blue all the while as it charged a powerful attack.

The duel sprang to life; as if a trick of the eye, Shiftry appeared suddenly behind Gallade, barely catching its opponent off guard before Gallade turned around and blocked the backstab.

Both falling to the ground, Shiftry threw out more leaf daggers, Gallade answering by sending out a Psycho Cut, an electric-blue shimmering crescent which bulldozed through the Razor Leaf, causing Shiftry to vanish in a cloud of leaves and wind, reappearing on the ground.

Both sprinted at each other, Gallade soon forming a defensive stance and anticipating as Shiftry zoomed around it, blocking rapid strike after strike from in front, behind, and above. Then, suddenly changing up its strategy, Gallade dug its foot into the sand and pivoted around, surprising Shiftry as blade struck leaf with immense force, causing both Daggen and his Pokemon to step back.

"I'll call it there! Let's take a break." shouted Midori, waving her arms. "Everyone is improving greatly! You may think differently, but it's an honor watching how you grow and fight." She seemed to aim this comment more toward Reiah, who was shaking her head while wiping her forehead with a worn rag.

Hearing the crunching of gravel and leaves, Midori paused for a moment then quickly turned around with a hostile energy, which transformed quickly as she saw Lail approaching.

Midori barely muttered more than a soft "Oh!" before flinging back around and saying, "Reiah, would you mind healing up our Pokemon? ....And can you get me a Rimbombee Tea please?"

Reiah ponderously passed Lail, turning around to cast an interested look, making sure not to walk too fast.

"Nice to meet you again, Lail." Midori started as Reiah shrunk out of hearing distance; Daggen also had drifted away, clumsily wandering the outskirts of trees. "I'm sure you've already been told, but my name is Midori; I'm the Champion of Endeima.

"And you've also met Daggen and Reiah. They're my trainees, and have been for a few weeks. I like this spot to practice: it's quiet and far away from the crowd. And on a similar page, the league also isn't far from here."

Midori casted an interesting glance at the heart of the woods surrounding the park.

"The Elite Four are all fixing to retire soon, and I've been searching for someone to take their places. I chose Daggen and Reiah myself." explained Midori. "People would rather I choose the best, well-known Pokemon Trainers, but these two are the most wonderful in my eyes."

She then let out a small sigh. "Reiah has so much promise, but she's very conscious and judgmental of herself, so much it's a hindrance. She and her Gallade have come so far, being able to push back Daggen after several days of training. I have faith in her... but in order to truly get better she must push past her block and develop her own faith."

Lail gazed at the Pokemon Center, unsure of anything to say.

"So before..." Midori started again, now focusing all of her attention on Lail, "I wanted to have a chance to talk with you after hearing your journey, and I guess this is that chance.

"Nothing's happened...yet. But when - if - the time comes, there's something I would want you to do for me..."

Lail slightly nodded. Midori clutched her pendant for a moment before realizing what she was doing, then flung her arm back down. Was it a bad habit?

Reaching into a handbag covered with white feathers, she pulled out a different feather - this one pale blue - which she handed to Lail.

"I call it the Azure Feather, but it also goes by a different name. I want you, when you go to Passenity, to take the feather with you-"

Several disruptions happened at once: Reiah exited the Pokemon Center accidentally slamming the door, Daggen and his Shiftry had made a tree fall, and yelling had broken out at a nearby Ranger Station. Midori, her attention now shredded apart, started to run toward the chaos and quickly told Lail, "Just keep it with you, and keep it hidden!"

A common condition for him at this point, Lail found himself lacking words as he now searched the National Park for the fourth gym.

\---

_Abbey Road - Wizard101_

_[The theme for the courtyard of Voyance Manor and also Route 708/Medeival Arc, which starts outside the mansion, wrapping around it and leads to the National Park.]_

_ Credits - Avatar: The Last Airbender 0:23 to end _

_[This plays during the sparring match between Reiah and Daggen, and ends when Midori yells for the match to be over.]_

_ A Place in the Sun - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[Plays during Midori and Lail's conversation, or rather, Midori's monologue since the protagonist never speaks.]_


	7. Okarthro

A gravel trail paved the way before Lail, with a gym icon etched in white on a marker staked next to the entrance. The atmosphere of the National Park felt darker and quieter, and a light sheet of dew wrapped around overgrown vegetation kicked back all over the park grounds. Lail continued to stand in place, because less than five paces away, a stocky man with an overgrown mustache blocked his path.

"Heya, my name is Gin! Just Gin! Looks like you're gonna challenge the National Park Gym! I'm sorry to inform you, but the gym leader is having legal and moral dilemmas right now. His exact words just a few minutes ago were, 'The forsaken rangers are calling me to the station because of that Dragonite!' He went to the station and you probably shouldn't try to get him back, but as I'm the guide for this gym, how about you explore a catching-enabled trail into the park nearby with lots of Pokemon-and-distractions? What do you mean I look similar?"

With that, Lail explored a nearby nameless route that delved into the wilderness of the National Park. Compared to the forests before, this one was quite...simple. Tall taigas formed a soundproofing canopy and giant rocks, some broke, spotted the floor. The big clearing he now stood in was essentially a big circle of dark grass.

Regularly updating his Pokedex, Lail did not encounter any unseen Pokemon, but did meet a different handful of familiar ones. Noctowl fled to the treetops and hooted; Rhyhorn got angry when a passerby bumped into the rocks they were disguised with; Cherrim popped open and wrapped themselves back closed as pale light flickered through.

After some peppered training, Lail felt, well, bored. The National Park squeezed itself in a long jut in the middle of nowhere, and if the gym leader could not be challenged, there would be no reason to stay here.

Curiosity bubbling up, Lail followed the previous sound of passionate yelling into the Ranger Station. While voices no longer filled the open courtyard, the sound returned as he slowly opened the wooden door.

An exorbitant scene awaited him on the other side. A man stood in the center of the room with unruly white hair and gray robes which seemed to flap in the wind, even indoors, who intensely stared at two rangers sweating buckets behind a wooden counter. The man began to yell again, seemingly mid-conversation.

"Prohibition!? This is ridiculous!"

"S-sir, your charges state that you moved one of the Pokemon - a Dragonite! - into your own care, which violates several policies, and since your gym is in the park itself, it's right to prohibit your role as leader for a certain time!" The woman on the right had seemed to regain some confidence as she pointed to her shield of a clipboard.

"That Dragonite is sick!" roared back the spotlighted man. "And it has been for a while! The rangers here are so stuck up with their rules that they can't _dare_ get their noble hands dirty by helping a Pokemon on the brink of death!"

"Sir," started the man on the left. "If you had reported this to us, we would have gone over the possible causes and then you could wait as we sent specialized healers to help-"

"I can't wait."

"Why do you care about this particular Dragonite so much in the first place, if I may ask?" asked the woman, who seemed to now show a genuine interest in the chilly man's case.

He turned around, his cloak whipping majestically. "When I was granted a role of leadership, I promised that I would no longer be a follower and hope the adults would fix my problems for me. I decided I need to take charge of the things important to me. I'm prepared for any consequences that may come up, because I'll sleep better knowing I did what I thought was right. And it's part of my promise to my father..."

He sighed and bent down his head. "And if you don't mind, I'm going to be in my gym until that order of yours is official." Without even noticing Lail, the man whooshed through the doors and disappeared outside, the leaves under him quivering as he shot through.

Lail followed him outside and noticed that the man suddenly disappeared. As he just started pondering how someone could vanish instantly without using Shadow Force, a sharp whistle sounded behind him. There he waited, right beside the entrance to the same station.

"My guess is you were looking for me? I'm going back now; feel free to follow." Hiding his hands in his cloak, the man strided over to the rest of the park. "My name is Rush. Your's is...Lail? Interesting name. Some could say my gym is interesting, but it's mostly just because of the park. I guess you will see." He waved without looking back.

Lail, feeling a tad bit nervous after the encounter, decided to train his Pokemon just a little more.

\---

Bearing the effervescent speech of Gin ("The gym leader told me he met a challenger and I stab the chilly air that that challenger was you! Mist seems to follow Rush wherever he goes, which is fitting for both his personality and his Pokemon! That's right, for he uses none other than dragon types! Ironic that same chilly air can be used as their downfall, hmm?"), Lail brushed past the chalked wooden sign of a gym leader icon and set foot on the muddy trail toward his fourth badge.

Climbing a hill steadily growing steeper and colder, he pressed on. The mountain constantly in his sights grew closer and closer until he stood at the foot of it and realized the gym required reaching the top. And as he began to go up the spiraling ramp surrounding the mountain and met a trainer, he realized this was the gym itself.

One tiring ascension later, Lail his hurting feet on the top of the gym: a circular, flat stone base where Rush sat in the middle alone, meditating. He slowly stood up and gave another monologue in the process; the tense air started swirling around them yet again.

"Did you know Dunsparce, Drampa and Caprong all originated from the same mountain? Even in the most seldom places, life flourishes, and so do our spirits. Meditating on these mountains lets me reflect on the choices I've made throughout my life. Even the smallest change in my self leads to an entirely different experience later on, similar to several species diverging from the same spot.

"Before we begin, reflect on the path you took to get here. Is there even one thing you would change? And now think about your future - what will you do after all eight badges? Because the league doesn't have to be your only option, or your end. Cut through the stone and form your own path, because no one will do it for you, only feed you false trails of what they want you to do. Now...are you ready? My team will show you what they've gained."

Rush fwipped his cloak open, grabbing a Premier Ball from his pocket with his most intimidating expression yet.

\---

_ Tantal (Night) - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[Rush's theme. Also plays for his "gym," which is a giant mountain instead of a building.]_

_ Driver VS - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[Rush slightly looks up at the camera, still reaching in his pocket, then throws out a Premier Ball in a wide motion. A Drampa pops out and situates itself in the middle of the arena.]_

_Pokemon Rush uses: Drampa, Caprong, Shelgon, Okarthro_

\---

All of Rush's Pokemon looked very similar with white and gray colors, which also matched their trainer. His last Pokemon, Okarthro, was the same kirin creature Lail encountered before, albeit twice as large and probably able to be ridden.

But, like the other gym leaders before, even the final Pokemon fainted and returned in a red light to their Poke Ball. Rush closed his eyes in acknowledgement and hid Okarthro back in his pockets.

"A fitting battle for where we stand. The Skybreak Badge belongs to you."

Lail rolled a thin, pale blue triangle across his fingers, showing a mountain piercing through a line of clouds, with a dragon hugging the side of it.

"This also belongs to you," Rush continued. "This is the TM for Dragon Claw, one of the strongest dragon moves-"

Rush suddenly grew silent and gazed out at the open view. Lail anxiously darted his eyes around, unsure what exactly Rush was expecting, when he heard an echoing howl. It repeated, gaining confidence, and then a Dragonite flew up over the side of the mountain and landed next to Rush. Lail staggered a little as the wind calmed down.

"Dragonite- you're better already?!" Rush gasped, gawking at the Dragonite towering over him. It bent its head down to meet his level and nudged him, all while smiling.

"I guess that medicine worked better than I hoped, huh?" said Rush, laughing as he stroked Dragonite's chin. It turned to Lail, huffed, and put its arms on its hips.

"I think Dragonite wants to prove how much better he is." After rummaging in his pockets, Rush held out a silver Ride Pager. "Instead of walking back down the entire mountain, take Dragonite with you to fly home. I may get in trouble for taking care of him without permission, but Dragonite shouldn't have to suffer along with me. He has amazing hearing, too; activate the pager, and he'll come." The dragon quickly flapped his wings and howled cheerfully.

One quick nod from Rush later, and Lail hopped on Dragonite's back. He then immediately held on for dear life as Dragonite shot into the air like an orange splash of soda. Despite the frigid wind, the ride slowly became more enjoyable, and Lail looked over to see almost the entirety of Endeima. He saw the two islands, connected by a thin crimson bridge, the mountain on the left and a volcano on the right, rocky cliffs, the compact towns and even a rainforest far south. Although limited to the places he visited before, the rest of his adventure already seemed feasible.


	8. Dauntlynx

_**This is a Grace Period chapter (explained in the breaks on this part) with some main story details at the end. Feel free to skip this part to continue the main story_

_\---_

Every city traveled through now a page away, Lail suddenly had the left island of Endeima at his fingertips... or rather, Dragonite did. Lail decided his first stop would be to revisit Hitomi's milkshake place. As quick as he mounted, he jumped off of the Pokemon's back; Dragonite circled in the air then shot off. 

Devin was leaning back cross-legged on one of the red fifties' bar stools, while Hitomi prepared drinks with questionable machinery; both were bickering at each other.

A bell by the door rang an interesting tune as Lail entered, causing Hitomi to look up from the counter. "Oh heya Lail! How are your travels?"

Devin lazily raised an arm in an attempt for a wave. He then turned an unusual gaze to the kitchen. "I smell something new."

"Oh yes!" Hitomi exclaimed. "The new Moomoo X!"

"The what now?" grumbled Devin, now slouching forward.

"Lail, let me make you a milkshake! I can also make you one for your Pokemon too. I've been experimenting with exotic recipes and there's this shake made with Gogoat milk and a couple Hoenn berries. It's supposed to be really good whether you're human or Pokemon!"

" _Supposed_ to?" said Devin, continuing a low groan. "I hope you didn't put any of that in mine."

Hitomi held up her nose. "Of course not. I know you're such a picky eater that you would cry to your mom for something simpler."

Devin looked absolutely attacked. "Iamnotapickyeater..." he said under his breath.

"Hmmm, what was that? I swear Shrika told me the other day how you went to that new Kalos cuisine place and you ended up ordering the nuggets."

"She said that, did she..." Devin was closing his eyes, feeling immense pressure closing on his head.

Hitomi bent over the counter so that her face was right in front of his- or it would be, if he wasn't looking down, avoiding eye contact. "Anyways, Lail!" She jumped back up, smiling happily. "Let me make you that shake."

Hesitantly, Lail accepted the request.

While Hitomi darted around the kitchen preparing her new fad, Lail took a seat next to Devin, who now slouched even further. "What are you in for?" he said, slowly moving his head.

A bubbly, yellowish concoction slid down the counter and halted in front of Lail. He could almost imagine it steaming. Hitomi then strolled down behind the counter and stared at him, awaiting his reaction. Hand slightly shaking, he grasped the glass cup and took a sip. Surprisingly, it tasted...pretty good.

"Well?!" asked Hitomi, excitedly leaning over the counter. Lail gave a thumbs up.

"Oh, wow!" she grinned. "That makes me happy. I haven't had a lot of time recently because of my other duties, but I've been trying really hard in my free time to work on the menu. I honestly really like it; I wish cooking could be easier."

"Maybe you should stick to working at the diner. I mean, you got how many lives?" pitched in Devin, playing with his straw.

"It sounds like a lot, but to me it doesn't feel that way." elaborated Hitomi. "I mean, I can't not say it's hard work. But after the few years of balancing jobs, I don't feel stressed; I feel content. It's hard to describe."

"Maybe it's hard to do because you're a girl."

"Hm."

Hitomi had given a reaction Lail did not expect: a completely calm stance. He slowly sipped his cream yellow milkshake in second-hand awkwardness.

"Cause you got all those hormones, which makes you distracted and not logical...or something like that." Devin said, stoking a dull flame.

"Honestly Devin, its hard to take anything you say seriously anymore." Hitomi had begun to wipe the counter with a hot pink sponge. 

His smiling face dissolved into something more deadpan for a split second. Devin readjusted himself in his stool. "Okay, how about this? No jokes. When we're all grown up, and I mean _really_ grown up, what are you going to do? Are you seriously still going to keep up with all of these lifestyles?"

"Yes! Because they're all my dreams, and I'd never forgive myself if I didn't pursue each and every one."

"Dreams, huh? It's fun to pretend, but looks like the only real thing you're doing right now is putting water on a counter."

"Alright, _now_ you've got a reaction, mister."

Devin scooted again, butt wiggling and seat squeaking, to face Lail. "I may or not be about to die. You will bear witness to my heroic sacrifice. When you meet Shrika, tell her how I valiantly passed into the unknown."

A check flew into his lap. "I thought BFFs didn't have to pay- oh, I see..."

Hitomi now washed glasses in a sink, her back facing the boys.

"Alas...this is my punishment." sighed Devin, squinting at his check. "Lail, your shake also happens to be on my bill."

A series of sighs later, all different pitches, Devin smacked the check onto the counter. "I accept my fate. You, Miss Hitomi, will hear the clatter of Pokedollars as they pile onto this counter."

However, the next minute involved Devin sitting soundlessly. Hitomi shot a peek, then spun around and leaned back by her sink smugly.

"Devin... did you forget your money at home?"

"Yes..."

He looked like a little kid now more than ever. He slowly crouched off the seat, and shuffled toward the door.

"Maybe take Swirlix. You can find some extra cash on the way back!" called Hitomi as Devin oozed out the door.

"You wouldn't have had to pay," said Hitomi to Lail, smiling a little. "Since this is technically a Gym, I don't need to pay rent, meaning costs aren't as important. Friends and family can drink for free. Usually."

She seemed to talk to herself a little, before a face of surprise dawned on her.

"Oh! You know Lail, why don't you use Swirlix too! The little guy's super helpful, even if he can be a bit much." She dug around the drawers in the kitchen, and handed Lail a bubblegum pink Ride Pager.

"Let Swirlix lead the way, and when he finds a buried treasure, you will know." she explained. "Come back anytime, Lail. I'll try to invent even more shakes that can benefit your team."

\---

One fun tune from the doorbell later and Lail set his sights on the nearby wooden gate of Vicecara City. There were shops and restaurants to still be explored, and training to be done.

In the nearby hills of Crystal Summits, Lail summoned Swirlix to go treasure hunting; however, instead of leading Swirlix like he thought, he was instead hanging on its tail for dear life as it frolicked across the desert. When it smelled something hidden in the earth, it got even more excited and bounced up and down in the air. It then pulled Lail even harder to find the sweet item buried.

Scooping up a Heart Scale underneath the shadow of a giant crystal, Lail admired the familiar scenery of salt-infused zeniths and rainbow-dotted slopes...then saw the towering figure of a Steelix rising above all of it.

Lail got pulled over to its location, where Jasmine stood with her back to him, ordering Steelix to break and rebuild the mountains on repeat.

Her bunny ears for hair almost looked like they twitched as Jasmine abruptly turned around to meet him for a second time.

"Oh! Uh...hi. We were training again. But..." Jasmine walked up to Steelix, thanked him, then returned him to his Pokeball. 

"I think we've done enough for today. I was going to relax and eat at Kabigon Ramen- um, would you like to join?"

\---

Lail sat next to Jasmine on high stools, with a long wooden bar in front of them. Steaming bowls of noodles arrived on the wood then departed as waiters carried them to regular tables and booth scattered throughout the restaurant.

"I really like this place. I think I've been here three times just since I got to Endeima. The way it looks reminds me so much of Johto..." Jasmine began, rotating her head to look at a group of decorations.

Lail did the same, taking in the red lighting and wooden makeup of the building, leading him to imagine a mesh of Johto and an old country saloon. Flower pots holding tiny pink trees and paper lanterns wobbled and flickered in the busy area.

"Um, Lail? I know this is a personal question, but did you have any friends back in Johto?" queried Jasmine, a shot of genuine interest on her face.

Lail contemplated his eighteen years of life- or at least, what he could remember. Mostly, it was him and his mom, with a dad busy at work, and an otherwise uneventful childhood. He conveyed the thoughts to Jasmine by a simple shake of the head.

"I didn't have very many either. The people in my Gym were all very nice to me, but that was the only place I ever saw them.

"I did have one friend. An Ampharos - Amphy - who I love very much, but unfortunately he's stuck at the lighthouse, and now we're an ocean apart..."

She spoke with a calmer manner than before, keeping her thoughts consistent and vivid. She almost seemed comfortable, even reminiscing sorrowful memories.

Something jolted her thoughts as a smile now snuck its way onto her mouth. She turned her entire body toward Lail, the stool still rigid.

"I just thought - for his sake, I should make friends here, or at least try to. He wouldn't want me obsessing over him. When I go back to Johto, I want to be able to rejoice with him all the new memories I made... now I feel silly saying that to you..."

A burly man wearing a white apron brought two red and white striped bowls from the kitchen and set them in front of her and Lail.

"Well then, let's eat!"

The noodles were much better than he expected, but halfway through he desperately needed a glass of water. Jasmine ate without a single sound, hunching over her bowl and wrapping her chopsticks with tiny twirls of noodles.

Kitchen door noises sounded again and the burly man approached the two. "You know, you guys are pretty cute together."

Jasmine suddenly gasped and backed away, as if she just burned her entire mouth. "Oh! Oh no, I'm sorry- um, we're just friends. I invited him here after training."

The man guffawed. "I understand. Thanks for being patient with the food earlier. I'll come back with the check, and I'll let you guys decide how to split it."

Jasmine had frantically paid for the check and left with a quick "Thank you!" and now Lail stood outside the restaurant, analyzing the streets of Vicecara. 

Then, as if fate, Midori and her two students passed by on the other side, unaware of Lail's figure. Reiah strode ahead of the others anxiously.

"...don't want to get the stupid cones!" Lail heard from Reiah as their chatter slowly began to focus.

"Nurse Joy told me it took you a great deal of effort to talk to the barista." Midori soothed. "I'm very happy you took that step, but if you want to be comfortable around your Pokemon, you need the practice being comfortable around anyone. So please, do this for me as well. I would very much enjoy a cone in this hot and humid city. "

"Get me a double scoop!" piped in Daggen from behind, gleaming.

Daggen received a swift elbow to the spleen.

\---

The trio disappeared around the corner, and Lail found himself free to roam the island yet again. Back in the Battle Circle, a new challenger had appeared. Announcing his name as Lionheart, he used a team based on the idea of bravery. His main star, Dauntlynx, looked like a Persian gone to war.

New passerby conversed in the back of the Circle, work-in-progress tents and wooden crates strewn around them already hinting at its development into something grand. Lail wondered what the final product would look like, his thoughts then interrupted by Zinnia, passing down the other side of the road. It took a second for both to notice each other.

"Hi." Zinnia said plainly. "I need to interview the people here for the lab. See you." The two continued in their separate ways.

\---

Grace Periods

_There are certain moments in the game where it "takes a break" from the main story. This is the first Grace Period out of three. Thanks to Ride Dragonite, the player is completely free to move around any of the unlocked locations (of course you can fly at any time of the game, but still). Grace Periods offer scenes with characters that aren't necessary but provide depth and characterization. They would be completely optional and can be skipped simply by traveling to the next destination in the story. Hearts, color coded to the characters, pop up on the map over the locations. For here, Jasmine's is light gray, Reiah's is a pale pink and Hitomi's is hot pink_

_ Moon Reaching Out to the Stars - Persona 3 _

_[Hitomi's Diner Theme. Plays when walking inside.]_

_ Jump Towards the Morning Sun - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_ [ _ _Plays during a couple happy moments of the game, like Jasmine creating a resolution then getting embarrassed._ _ ] _

\---

In order to challenge the next gym, he not only had to make his way far south, but across a marked bridge to get to the right island he'd yet to hear anything about. Even finding the next route proved difficult, the pathway disguising itself as a mulchy zigzag branching off of the National Park.

The ground became wetter, too, mosses and lichens beginning to party around the path and on trees. Leaf-green and golden maples, hemlocks, and bald cypresses joined the fray of taiga trees, adding a bit of vibrancy compared to other routes.

And underneath a wall of the same taiga trees stood Professor Spruce, arching his neck to take notes on an orange piece of paper. He wore the same hiker's vest with long, muddy boots.

"Hello!" he waved with one hand merrily, then continuing to scribble. "Spruce trees all around, am I right? So fitting for my name!"

Lail craned to see the tops of the trees as well.

"How goes it with the Pokemon I gave ya? Good?...Good! You know, I came out here with Zinnia to examine the quality of this forest ahead of us, and the Pokemon in it too! She seemed a little down though, so I tried getting her to investigate the Battle Circle to spice things up. You two seem to be good pals- think you could bring her back for me?"

At the Battle Circle again, Zinnia chatted with the trainers usually challenging Lail to a duel. She started to walk back already, looking at gravel and dirt beneath her. Only two feet away from Lail coming in did she realize someone else was there.

"Spruce must want me back. I remember where you need to go being right where he is." Zinnia didn't seem like her previous self: she looked bored and empty.

That emptiness swished around a little as she thought about something. "Before I head back, how about one more battle? I want to test out my team again, and I just need something to do."

They faced each other a couple dozen feet apart, both dragging out their first Pokeball.

\---

_ Battle! Zinnia - Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire _

_Pokemon Zinnia uses: Bagon, Caprong, Okarthro, Weaker Starter*_

_\---_

"I've been catching new Pokemon, trying to get my Bagon stronger, but... at least I'm getting used to Endeima." Zinnia fwipped around, approaching the area occupied by Shurik and Joy.

"Do you heal Pokemon here?" Zinnia asked Joy.

"Yup!" exclaimed Joy, clapping her hands together. "Didn't use to have the equipment here before. Now I gotta machine in my tent! Let me heal your buds up for ya."

"The Battle Circle has barely been around," Zinnia commented back to Lail. "Yet it's already a thriving community."

They walked down the thinning path escaping the Battle Circle. But... halfway down, a distorted, echoing train whistle froze them in place. The whistle sounded again, louder this time and emanating from the trees beside them. Those trees rustled- entire trunks began to duck to the side, a powerful force razing through.

Zinnia stood firm in front of Lail, clutching a Pokeball still in her bag. Distortion and shifting of trees grew exponentially louder, yet neither heard the thudding footsteps usually associated with such a scene. The front line of vegetation split apart; a pale creature shaped like a train and flowing with electricity wormed onto the road, emitting a final whistle of pure rage.

"I'm ready this time!" Zinnia wailed.

Lail ran up to join the fight.

\---

_ Condemnation - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[Michomotis, the enemy wild Pokemon, spins around intimidatingly. It leads automatically with an Electric Terrain before the player can start battling. It will try to reset the terrain as much as possible, because when it's up, Michomotis can move twice every turn. It's moves aren't limited to the usual four slots, instead using a variety of strong Psychic and Electric-type moves. It also uses Skull Bash, which doesn't require a turn to charge: instead, a prompt similar to the Power Herb appears after Michomotis tucks its head in.]_

_\---_

The white railroad of a Pokemon shook itself back into action, then scurried back somewhere into the forest.

"Michomotis." Zinnia explained. "That's its name. I've been studying with the professor." She looked down with the soulless stare, bouncing a Pokeball in her hand. "I don't like this team. It's a shell of my past one. I want to bring my friends back."

She left on her own, Lail hoping she would meet up with Professor Spruce.


	9. Zombeon

Past the vacant wall of spruce, Lail entered Route 709 ("Stormy Gazer Seaside"). Here, his opinion on Endeima altered once again due to vastly different imagery.

Route 709 was extremely long, his longest one traversed yet: for a while, he sightsaw through the fantasy-like forest, containing all the plants he saw at the start plus stairs of mushrooms and a few other abnormal bushes.

But then the route...opened. Completely opened. For the first time, Lail gazed at a bright gray cloudy sky, expanses of crisp air and grass on either side. Every now and then vivid cypresses did decorate the landscape, looking like they bared a hurricane. The vividness carried over to the short grass, natural with deviant weeds springing every which way.

The expansion to his left sloped, leading to a beach made entirely out of sharp rocks. The water churned and clashed against them, the deeper sea and the sky above in a perpetual storm. Lail immediately understood the nickname of the route. He always heard exchanges regarding the difficult travel to Endeima - guess he got lucky on his puny helicopter flight to Acufull.

A stone shrine, far out in the middle of the sea, barely jutted through the silver mist. It looked real ominous, ever-present yet untouchable; severe tempest clouds rotated with raging waters all around.

Walking down this path on the other hand felt relaxing, feeling a cool breeze barely grazing skin. A long way down he walked the thin dirt path underneath the squally sky.

Trees started appearing again with another forest dead ahead, but these ones left behind the skyscraper spruces. And in front of _this_ entrance stood Kuro, his head hunched down, contemplating some edgy thought. Today, no Zangoose could be seen at his side. His jaw barely twitched, acknowledging someone approaching.

"So answer me," he began. "Are you still set on the path your friend gave you? I can't necessarily say anything bad about it, can I, since I'm traveling it too. But that doesn't mean I still can't dissuade you."

Kuro left the trees and faced Lail. "Another battle," he said. "To see where we both stand, halfway through our journey."

\---

_ Battle! Rival - Pokemon Heartgold and Soulsilver _

_Pokemon Kuro uses: Armaldo, Dauntlynx, Stronger Starter*, Zangoose_

_ Sunshine Coastline - Ys VIII _

_[The theme for Route 709 after escaping the trees, now underneath a beautiful stormy sky beside a beautiful stormy sea.]_

_\---_

"Good work, Zangoose." he remarked, a red light returning to its ball. "I usually have him by my side, but the presence of a Pokemon doesn't allow you to think alone."

He faced the third forest. "Palihan's path - the crimson bridge connecting the two islands - resides inside Bleeshadow Forest. Are you tired yet of this scenery every other mile?"

Abundance of trees, yes. Each area was different though, Lail's experience of Ethearth versus Unnacturne just one example.

Kuro continued: "Before that, a plan exists for me inside here. Follow me if you wish." He swept aside the timber curtain, disappearing inside. Lail repeated the motion shortly after.

Bleeshadow Forest - ecstatic greens covering the floor and sky. Its name marker left the view, stapled to the front line of trees. Skinnier and scarcer trunks allowed sun to spread its joy among the entirety. Lots of them bent into intimidating shapes. Linoone sprinted along the deep edges; Ariados clacked from who-knows-where; Kuro, ways ahead, turned deeper into the forest, his follower soon turning too and meeting him. 

He smiled to himself. "I'm glad you came with me. I was afraid I put you off with my demeanor in Unnacturne. Hopefully what I'm about to show you fixes our broken beads of a bond."

Bushes rustled; Kuro was walking off the path, into the trees. "No need to hesitate. I know exactly what lies on the other side."

Into darker green both went until the darkness no longer existed. Light - clear light from an opening - soon awaited the pair's arrival. The opening, Lail realized stepping into it, contained an entire village. Ancient houses encircled a wooden statue, carved into an animal figure standing on human-like legs.

"Let me give you some perspective," lectured Kuro sternly. "You already know how sheltered Endeima is from the rest of the world- now imagine that same level doubled, tripled with Pithpy, the village lying before us. You're most likely one in a hundred aware of its existence. 

"I believe I hyped up the consecutive defeat of gym leaders too much as well; I needed an excuse to get to know you. The talk about you derives from the fact almost no one here participates in the challenge. The region's too small for a stream of newcomers. Simply, you are an entertainment no one's had the pleasure of experiencing for several months."

A plump, merry woman passed by holding a weaved basket of laundry. She stopped to smile at the two boys, her eyes barely opening. "Welcome back, Kuro! And who is that handsome man with you?"

"An acquaintance. Nice to see you too, Helga."

Nodding, the woman returned to one of the creaking shacks, two children running around her. At a house on the opposite side, another child with an exaggerated violet ribbon in her hair idled side to side in front of it. She constantly eyeballed Lail and Kuro but refused to utter anything.

"Everyone in Pithpy lives such quiet and content lives. Sometimes I find myself jealous, no longer ignorant of everything wrong in the world. Yet this village holds information the rest wouldn't know: the true history of Endeima."

They surrounded the sacralized statue, Kuro gazing up at it with content in his black eyes. He took a small breath.

"Others imagine Endeima's divine being as a bird of light, descending unto the earth's plane. The true form of it is the figure here, rising out of the fountain used for rituals. It stayed on land, keeping the Tadia safe from the impending sphere of darkness - your night sky. After the sun set they would still have light provided by their god. But eventually the being longed for more, gazing at the flecks of light smashing through the sky's veil. It rose into the sky one sudden day wishing for a country no longer afraid of the dark. Night still did not impede on the people, shadows brushing their faces, for the being took its final form as a barrier of spirit blocking its descent. Its soul then shed even further, turning into the moon. And all the while, it refused to present its name to anyone, focusing on the deeds it could accomplish rather than its worship..."

He rested his head. "Perhaps it's the personality of this village, but that tale is much more heartfelt than what others might have told you, no? Some of us, myself included, think the being never _really_ left us; within spirit, it continues to walk beside us - we just can't see. Or maybe we're no longer worthy of witnessing it? I continue to be fascinated by Endeima's legend, especially since this is my home."

Lail focused in on the rest of Pithpy, clothes dangling on ropes and a lonesome windmill chirring alongside swaying trees. _Kuro lives here?_

Sure enough, Kuro walked around the statue and entered one of the houses, leaving Lail by himself. Behind him, one of Helga's kids ran back and forth with a Joyobulb.

He decided to explore the other houses. All of their owners were peaceful and friendly. A middle-aged couple offered him stew; an elderly woman tried to teach him how to quilt, her Beautifly making its own silky clothes with string. Everyone was unaware of the gigantic Pokemon jumping out of the trees, the bustling cities only a few miles away- or maybe they chose to ignore it. Chirps and rustles merrily danced in the silence of the village. 

Lail ran, almost literally, into Kuro as he exited the final few shacks. "Thank you," he nodded, "for spending time with me here. There is one more destination on my list, further south."

Kuro monologued to Lail as they continued deep into Bleeshadow. "Walking up and down this forest is when I feel most human, the bent trunks spelling the alphabet, the cloudy sky still somehow bright, the dirt paths maneuvering with nature instead of straight through...allowing my mind to reflect on everything apart from me. I've realized I'm not exactly fond of it, which may not be surprising to you. People here have slowly lost what they want to do. Shamans in Sandsaahi no longer carry out an actual purpose...they just sit idly by, like any other person. Hosting concerts, building fashion halls - we've been focusing on things that aren't important. At least to those wishing for something more. Even my home has fallen into a certain cycle of stagnation. We all just sit around and taint everything nearby with that aura of uncaring, taking innocent nature with us. But this looming darkness..." he contorted, at a painful loss of words. "It's not because of that. The force is unjust, uncaring... I want to stop it, but how, without injuring others..."

Circles of grass passed by, heading down Route 711 - Restrained Rainforest's Beginning. Light inside the forest altered to a foggy blue color full of mist. Exotic plants and Pokemon cries scattered throughout. Lail had a feeling the Rainforest Reserve would soon appear. 

The sound of cheering and laughter interrupted their stroll, confusing both of them considering the loneliness. A good ways ahead, a group of odd people were bouncing along, carrying signs...with the name of Kuro's home.

"What is happening here?!" Kuro had rushed over to the nearest villager.

"Hi, Kuro!" laughed a pleasant man, eyes closed from a smile. "We decided to launch a campaign not too long ago: 'Make Pithpy Known!' We're just now coming back from Acufull..."

"Make our village _known_?!"

"Mmhm! We think it might be time for us to catch up with the rest of the region... gettin' wood for fire, walkin' through the forest for food, it stacks up on your back."

"And you think it's worth throwing away culture, tradition? And did the...nevermind, she'd want this village a secret just as much as I do."

"Hm? Oh, well I suppose she might. But all of us decided on this, Kuro. We want easier lives for our children."

Lail noticed Kuro now looking down in rage, his hat darkening the rest of his body. The villager's band continued toward the hidden entrance. 

"Let's head back." Kuro turned to Lail, still seething with black fire. "There's something I need to do." 

Halfway back to Pithpy, Kuro spoke again. "Verudia City in its first days used to go public to the rest of the world, spreading knowledge about great things Endeinans could do - replanting forests, conserving Pokemon, teaching children... but it fell victim to the media's curse, dissolving into promoting contests and covering every last ounce of drama. No one wants to hold any responsibility, to keep up the work they created; Neo-Passenity, with a factory that spread its disease and created its own area, never once had someone come and try to restore the land, admitting that they polluted it. Eventually, someone has to start something. To get people to care again. But if the current Champion instead focuses on other plans, then..."

Black fog, a thin layer smothering the ground, began to emit from the deepened sides of the forest, spanning across the grass and over Lail's shoes. A hollow cry, like that of a dog's, pierced through the trees. The fog increased severity; bony feet with sharp black nails crept out from the dark mass. A decaying green and gray dog with a skull for the top half of its face stalked into the light, the trees and flowers near it rapidly blackening and dying. It grunted then gazed at Lail, a low chilling growl emanating. 

"A Zombeon?" pondered Kuro. "In my life spent here, I've never actually seen one. The process to create one is repugnant; it's the unluckiest symbol an Endeinan can see. Time to send it back into the shadows." Bright light turned into a Zangoose ready to attack. Lail took out one of his own, prepared for his third intense encounter.

\---

_ Catching Shadows - Ivan Trevino _

_[Bleeshadow Forest's theme.]_

_ Serenade of the Morning Star - Tales of Vesperia _

_[Pithpy Village's theme.]_

_ Elysium in the Dream - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[Kuro explains his version of history to Lail while the pair stares at the wooden statue.]_

_ Time's Grasslands Home - Chrono Cross _

_[The theme for Route 711, which connects Bleeshadow Forest and the Rainforest Reserve (detailed later), combining the appearances of both locations.]_

_ Condemnation - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[Zombeon begins with sacrificing an eighth of its health to put a Curse on your's and Kuro's starting Pokemon. It regenerates a sixteenth of its health every turn, repeating the Curse without wasting a turn whenever the good side's Pokemon are both new. It can only use one normal move per turn unlike Michomotis, but they're increased in power. It has access to a wide range of types and status moves, not limited to the four slots. You fight alongside Kuro for this fight.]_

\---

"It's a shame to see Pokemon act like that." Kuro groaned, rustling Zangoose's head who swiped its hands up in annoyance. "My experience in this forest today changes everything. If we meet again, I'm afraid it won't be as friendly rivals." 

His hard shoes crunched on the dirt, walking away with Zangoose to who-knows-where. 


	10. Timesum

On the left side of Bleeshadow, a second entry point led the way to Route 710 - West Stormside. It matched Route 709's likeness, with a cloudy sky and slightly calmer seas. Fallen and broken trunks lain on the ground, products of storms. It connected to the route to Acufull Village, a long curve back to home.

In order to reach Passenity, the next location for his challenge, he had to stay right, retracting his steps to his previous entrance. Before he could reach the path branching off to the very right of the island, the little girl he took note of in Pithpy dashed out in front of him.

"My-my Pokemon!" she gasped. "My Pokemon is missing. Please! Come!" She tugged on his arm then immediately gave up, running back into the forest.

Shiftry, called with the pager, was able to clear a path in the trees for Lail to remember Pithpy's entrance.

There he caught sight of the girl throwing open the door to her house, immediately throwing it to come back out after spotting him.

"Have you seen it? Have you seen it my Pokemon? Here! I have a picture of him! This is Timesum! He is my friend!" she all said without breathing. Lail held a scrap of paper with a very poorly drawn girl holding hands with a Pokemon, both reduced to a circle for a head and boxes for a body, that looked like a purple Minun.

Her parents lumbered out behind her, leaning on the wooden deck to call out. "Eloise!" harped the father. "We told you our rules of conversing with outsiders!"

"But!" pleaded Eloise. "He can help us! He's a friend of Kuro."

"Friend or foe, you should never run away by yourself so you can talk with strangers."

Tiny tears swirled in Eloise's eyes, her head turning to Lail. "I'm sorry. Daddy hates you now. Daddy! Can he _please_ help us?!"

Daddy shook his head. "Fine. Invite him inside."

"Yay! Come on, come on!" Eloise latched onto Lail's arm, dragging him inside. The compact living room comforted him, old fashioned yet well kept furniture strewn about.

"So, yes, you can actually help us." explained Eloise's dad at shaggy wooden table all four members sat around at. "Our Timesum ran away from home. Unfortunately, we rarely leave home. No one in Pithpy does, or should."

The mother smiled, leaning back in her creaking chair. She looked tired with carefree light brown hair. "We've lived here our entire lives. Eloise's father hates to admit it, but we do sometimes venture outside the village for food. Catching and growing your own becomes incredibly taxing, especially with another kid coming along..." She rested a hand on her stomach.

"Do you know what a Timesun looks like?" asked the dad.

Lail asked if it looks like a Minun.

"Minun? What kind of Pokemon is that?"

"Regardless, our Pokemon ran into the forest, but not the way you came in." said mom. "I believe the closest village is named... Sati? Acuti? What was it, hon?"

Her husband shook his head. "I wouldn't know, Ursa!"

Lail confirmed he knew the town they tried to refer to.

"Oh, thank you." beamed Ursa. "We will try to search the forest around us. I really hope Timesum tries to come back. He's always trying to say no."

Back in his new hometown, Lail interviewed the people outside in the grass. The girl watering flowers with her Sudowoodo shook her head, water from the can shaking with her. The Sudowoodo jumped.

His own mother did not see a Timesum, but insisted he stay a while and have a home-cooked meal. The other female assistant in Spruce's otherwise vacant lab had not seen a stray Pokemon either.

He returned to Pithpy, empty-handed and empty-informationed. Eloise rocked side to side in front of her house like a certain other time, except with a grin on her face.

"Hi! Hi! Did you find Timesum? Oh, that's okay! A special lady from our village came by and said while she was out, she saw Timesum crossing the big bridge! Actually crossing it! Dad says we're going to the city soon to find him. Passenity - that's the name he gave it! I can't can't can't wait."

Passenity... everyone Lail knew seemingly planned to end up there. He gave a smile and a wave to the little girl before stepping into the forest. 

\---

_Sunshine Coastline - Ys VIII_

_[This theme also plays for Route 710, which looks similar to Route 709. It's incredibly long, connecting Bleeshadow Forest at the bottom of the left island to Route 706. It has a slight curve and is raised higher than Route 709. Fallen trees create detours, and splashes of water occasionally fly across the route.]_

Side Quests

_Similar to Grace Periods, there will be a couple side quests that spring up every now and then during the story, completely optional and apart from the story. I included this one because it gives more insight on Pithpy, and also other spoilerish things_

_\---_

"Hey, Lail?"

A woman's voice sounded from behind him as he traversed through the forest.

Lail was surprised to realize it belonged to Amber, outside of her city. Her powerful demeanor had broken off as she stood there sorrowful.

"The other gym leaders told me you were crossing Palihan soon. Listen, I just want to apologize for the way I acted earlier. I know I didn't really do that much to you, but I realize now with me being sick...and my Siracle at home...already years past her expectancy, I can't act like I am anymore. I guess I can thank you, for reigniting my belief people do kind deeds while still enjoying the life ahead of them. I don't want to spend the remainder of my life in regret."

A brown disk slid from her vest to her hand, outstretched toward Lail. "From here on out, I'm turning over a new rock. I never thanked you properly for bringing me that medicine earlier, so take this as a belated gift. It's the TM for Earthquake, arguably the strongest Ground-type move available. Use it or not; it rests with you."

She began to head back, pausing to reflect. "Siracle, I love you."

Amber vanished through the forest's dividers.

The time to cross Palihan himself finally arrived. Taking the side path in Bleeshadow, Lail reached a clearing high above the water yet with a similar view to Route 709. The other island developed amidst the fog. He took steps on the clear earth, ready to take a final step to cross-

Three figures stood in front of him. Black masks covered their mouths; spiky white hair nearly covered their eyes. In the blink of an eye they had appeared; Lail blinked a couple more times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.

"We are the Shadow Triad," the middle one rasped through his mask, "loyal servants of Ghestis, separated from a black heart to end up here..."

All three simultaneously took a single step forward. "The feather," the right Shadow began. "It emanates in your pocket. We must take it, to free spirits."

Lail refused, clutching his Pokemon.

"Very well." All three leapt forward.

\---

_ Temporal Dreams - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[The theme for the couple battles the player will have with the Triad. The Shadow Triad only fights as one trainer here. The Shadow uses two Pawniards and one Bisharp, probably a good ways lower than the level it evolves at which is level 52.]_

\---

Defeated but defiant, the Triad glanced at each other then readied for another attack, this time without their Pokemon. Lail's own partner rushed in front of him, guarding him. When the three jumped, however, they vanished, revealing a woman calmly strolling down the bridge to Lail's island.

Both trainer and Pokemon remained vigilant as the woman merrily grew closer.

"Oh my... I would like to think a group deadly as the Shadow Triad would flee because of my presence, but one can only dream." Her voice made her appearance suddenly years younger.

Bushy baby blue hair overlapped a purple kimono, also with pale blue and lilac spherical patterns. Unlike the traditional garb, all of her hair rested down. She held a fan in her left hand complimenting a small, purple Oricorio striding on the ground next to her. It held its head high, a distinguished aura surrounding its colors.

"But if you still stand there unscathed, you must be equally formidable... or more likely, the Triad already has what they want." Her amethyst eyes narrowed in sadistic amusement.

Lail immediately slapped his pockets; the feather Midori bestowed upon him was somehow gone!

The girl chuckled, resting her fan on her neck. "Darn. Fortunately for you, I know exactly what you want, and where to find it." Every sentence of hers ended in a sly, crooked smile. "I will be waiting on the other side. I will not walk with you, because...the first trip across Palihan deserves an unhindered experience."

She gave a little twirl then reversed her venture; her Oricorio did the same.

Lail needed time to not only process his encounter(s), but to attempt to find the Azure Feather which might've just flown out of his pants. After minutes and minutes, no luck sprung up.

Weird girl gone from view, Lail set his own pair of shoes on the crimson bridge. It slowly rocked back and forth in the stormy wind, deep creaks reverberating from the bottom. Still water sparkled underneath, stretching between the bottoms of both islands and slowly waving outward to the ocean expanse. 

And at the halfway point, he turned to his left, now perfectly aligned with the stone shrine in the center of the sea. Storm clouds and raging waters intensified the closer they got to the center. Wind suddenly blasted his face, pushing him back to the ropes of the bridge. He laughed it off and pressed on across the bridge, absorbing every step. 

An inactive volcano loomed further in on the other island, not unlike the stone mountain near the park. Eventually a city resting on the other side became clearer in its details. Passenity. And what a sight it was.

Any creative influence dug into Vicecara was amplified by the hundreds. He might as well have been back home. Houses, shops, and torii gates identical to Johto packed in next to each other, except these had purple roofs and purple tints making the city look somber. Yellow light casting through the windows matched lanterns on the street and in the giant maple trees throughout, combating its complementary color. Their maples were also a pale purple color; silver and lilac swirled together in the sky, swishing the clouds into a magical mix. 

The kimono wearing girl and her Pokemon waited by the gate, bowing as Lail crossed onto the new island. "Welcome to Passenity... there is much to do here. Come, boy, let me show you someone you must meet- oh, one moment please." 

Devin speed-walked up to the two of them, grinning. "Hiya, Lail. Hiya, Shrika! You know she's the gym leader here? Its right over there in that tall pagoda."

A gust of wind blew back Devin's hair.

Shrika's head shook in disbelief. "He's spoiled everything, I'm afraid. Yes, I am the gym leader. And yes, I share the same position with this amoeba."

"Except her 'signature Pokemon' isn't from Endeima like the other seven of us." jabbed Devin. 

She put on her sinister smile. "Adds to the mystery. People must take a second glance as I stroll through the city. On that subject, let us commence to my humble abode. People expect our figures sliding through that door."

"You know, normally no one is allowed an inch within that house." Devin called back to Lail as the trio walked down the bustling street. "But these are unfortunately different circumstances. Took me my whole life to get inside. I'm quite jealous. Did you know she likes reading? Loves the dark poetry, the really gruesome ones-" Another gust of wind tripped him. Shrika hummed to herself. 

Reaching one of the compact houses, she took the lead, red light returning her Oricorio, and slid open her front door. The inside resembled the traditional Johto house, mahogany floors and tatami mats. 

"Welcome!" Devin clapped his hands together after cutting off Shrika and running inside. She ignored him, walking past; Lail blinked.

Devin put his hands on his hips and looked up beside him as Midori, a head taller - and taller than a lot of other people (except maybe Kuro), Lail realized - trod over to them and beamed, her jade pendant swinging side to side. Daggen, also announcing his presence, squeezed in between the frontliners' arms to get even closer to Lail. "Hey hey, I know you! I saw you at the National Park!" His smile was the biggest of them all. Reiah remained behind the group, crossing her arms at the floor. 

"Shrika, did everything go alright?" inquired Midori.

"Mmhm. Except for the Shadow Triad suddenly appearing and attacking our friend here."

The room jumped except for Midori with another question. "Someone must've hired them here. I'm guessing I know what they took?"

"Yes'm."

Midori softly approached Lail. "Everyone in this room knows you held the Azure Feather. I eventually decided others should know, too. I may have also placed a small watch on you; sorry for deceiving you."

"Ah, Midori, you're supposed to say that after revealing the other major part."

"Right," she sighed. "Your feather was a fake."

"But, where is the real one then?" piped up Reiah. Everyone turned back to look at her. She started to sweat. "I-I know you talked about giving him _a_ feather, but you never mentioned the genuine one."

"Safe."

"Oh, okay." muttered Reiah, not satisfied but too timid to press further.

Shrika faced Lail, intrigued. "Are you familiar with the steps to enter the Spirit Realm?"

A shake of a head.

Her mischievous appearance quickly returned full-throttle. "The Azure Feather and Naosu's Quill. Both keys that can lead the way to the Spirit Realm. At least, that's the myth. The items exist in our museums, but no one has ever found the entrance." 

"I'm surprised Shrika didn't mention who Naosu is (famous ancient writer, by the way)," added Devin. "Tried to write the history of Endeima during his time. Failed miserably before completely hopping off the grid. Returned to Sandsaahi one random day, claiming he reached his highest spiritual self. Wanted to meet our divine being; raised his quill in desperation and shimmered in blue light. Claimed he saw a new forest, with the being still blocked off from everyone else. This tale, like all of our other ones, requires listener discretion." 

"Yes...it's all fascinating," grinned Shrika, fanning herself. "The tale of the divine being and the tale of the world it created."

"We sort of heard that tale all the time as kids. My mom sometimes read it to me before bed, haha..." awkwardly laughed Daggen, rubbing the back of his head. 

Midori rested near the front door, thoughtfully gazing out of a window into the purple city. Her thumb unconsciously brushed her pendant. "I'll try to find out more about the Shadow Triad - who hired them, what happens after they get what they want. And in the meantime, we need to train more too."

"Aww! I wanted grilled steak!"

"After." Breaking her stupor, Midori strode out with Daggen and Reiah trudging a few feet behind. 

Devin extended a hand at the other gym leader. "Well Shrika? Does your battle with Lail approach like the flame at its last millimeter of wax?"

"I'm...actually busy. I must postpone it for a few. For you, boy, a myriad of entertainments awaits you. Lose yourself in pleasure. Oh, and the Versaiya fashion hall is of utmost importance. A show starts soon; you _must_ see it. Matane."

"Shrika _busy?!_ I need to see this." Devin ran after the Shrika calmly leaving her house. 

The cool air compacted with sounds of the townscape. Lail pondered the agenda for Passenity, free in a new area- that is, until Midori came back, this time by herself. 

"One last thing I saved for when we could be alone: you might already know who is behind all of this. I have my assumptions, too, but I wanted to wait until the truth is crystal before I make others worry.

"As for the Triad... they didn't disappear with Team Plasma like everyone thought. They materialized about a year ago, committing felonies across the other regions, so much so that people here have received wind of it. Did you hear of them in Johto? Anyways, I applaud you for standing up to them - it takes a fiery heart for something such as that. And I shouldn't have provided you with a fake feather, even if it was taken. I wholeheartedly trust you, especially now. Here."

Midori cast out another bright feather from her bag.

"The real Azure Feather. The one currently sitting in the Vicecara museum is, yet, another fake. I replaced it after that certain someone tried to rob it. But for now...don't tell anyone about that either, okay?"

The swish of green hair. An apparent key to the Spirit Realm rested between Pokeballs in his backpack. 

\---

_ Pleasant Intrigue - Tales of Vesperia _

_[Shrika's theme.]_

_ Heartbeat, Heartbreak - Persona 4 _

_[Passenity's theme in Spirit. Continues inside places such as Shrika's house. It continues to play when exited, the player now having access to everything the city has to offer.]_


	11. Verseelie

_**This is a Grace Period chapter with some main story details at the end. Feel free to skip this part to continue the main story_

_\---_

Standing in place due to thought, Lail stared at the lines of passerby, chatting gleefully along the paved, beige, dirt street. Where to even begin?

Providing a hint, Devin's torn ends of his suit skidded by the gapped entrance to a restaurant-looking building with a complex roofing. Inside however, Lail realized as he too came in, the mood became despondent and suppressed.

Cracked long wooden tables, only four or so, sulked inside a mostly empty restaurant. A couple shaggy trainers hunched over them. Disturbing the silence came Shrika's voice:

"It's bad enough this paint bucket had to follow me...but you too?" She walked down the middle of the tables, clacking her zori on the cobblestone floor and narrowing her eyes at Devin and Lail.

Flipping his head in rapid succession, Devin scanned the interior. "I've never seen this place before."

"That's because it never existed. Four days ago an abandoned house had its intestines removed for something more beneficial."

"How many guesses do I get?"

"A soup kitchen," cut in Shrika. "For any two or four legged wanderers of Passenity."

"Looks...homey."

She shrugged at the square room of broken wood and stone. "The major construction finished. Now the intricate details must come into place - where I fall."

Just then, an older man with an apron stumbled in, struggling to hold a bookshelf. He set it along the back wall beside a withering plant, brushing hands on his apron and turning to Shrika. "Here, madame?"

"Beautiful."

"Um," pondered Devin. "A bookshelf in a kitchen?"

"For customers' entertainment. I have plenty of books in my house I've been wanting to share."

Devin was gawking at her. "Since when? What? Why are you suddenly productive?"

Another shrug. She folded up her fan and slid it in her kimono. "When I heard this was happening, I thought how interesting it seemed. I guess I wanted to participate in enriching my home for once."

"Dang."

"Well then, shall we sit?" She waved her arm at an empty table next to them.

Lail sat across from the two, Devin slouching and Shrika crossing her legs. An oil lantern on the end desperately kept light. Paper bowls of wonton soup swirled in front them, Lail unsure if he should've accepted a meal from here in the first place (but Shrika's volunteering reassured him somewhat).

"So Shrika: for Lail, what would say your signature Endeinan Pokemon is?"

"Hmmmm... I love my Revigen. Its body never fully dying, always decomposing then regenerating...a beautiful life doomed with eternal suffering."

"Revigen? I've barely seen you use her."

"Mm. Bug types in battle bring on another curse. I definitely should use her more; she always sits patiently in my kimono."

"You should send her out right now."

"Right now? No thank you. Our patrons wouldn't take to her too fondly, I presume. But you, boy," she said, leaning over the wood, "might run into Revigen when the fate of my badge falls into your hands."

"But he can't battle you currently, can he?"

"Unfortunately."

A clatter of excitement poured through the kitchen's door.

"Oh...I believe that belongs to the fashion show across the street. The one you absolutely must go to. It appears to be starting soon."

"Yes, it deserves to be seen at least once. Quite a spectacle." chuckled Devin. "The Verseelie mascot has always been a favorite of mine, I must say."

"That Pokemon is definitely up your alley; too bad it's not a dark type."

"True, but its appearance! The mask, the sickening colors...what is it hiding? Why has it come to look so despised of humans? And why does the fashion hall hold it as its mascot despite all of this?"

"A mystery," slyly said Shrika, looking back at her bookshelf. "Other obligations still linger; it is time for me to return. Happy travels, boy."

\---  
  
Sure enough, a crowd jittered outside a modern building as Lail stepped back onto the street.   
  
Chatter came from the passerby as he walked down the street, still wanting to explore the rest of the city ("All the gym leaders have a pretty close-knit community, don't they?" "Have you read Hooklink's book yet? He knows what's up!" "My Ledyba has been acting very grumpy lately. Think it's because she has to stay indoors?" "Who do you think they'll showcase this show? I can't wait!"). 

Weaving through more streets, Lail reached a courtyard area: a flat rectangle on grass, surrounded by an iron fence and a cobblestone ground. Scarce trees bent upwards, only possessing a thin layer of scruffy leaves. One trainer was walking a Herdier through it... another trainer was Jasmine, staring up at the horizon of roofs. 

"Oh- hi...number three? Is this the third time we've met? Um, a lot of stuff exists between here and Vicecara, doesn't it- anyways, I'm here too because I wanted to break out of my comfort zone a little, and I kind of even did that literally (Steelix might have broken off more of the Crystal Summits than I would've liked haha)...want to walk together?"

They stopped in front of a lively restaurant, the front doors permanently slid open and food's steam and chatter escaping between them. "Apparently everyone in Endeima associates this place with grilled steak." explained Jasmine. "It's its signature dish, I suppose. But- let's talk somewhere else. I want to move beyond restaurants."

They reached a fancier building in the north, similar to Vicecara's museum with a paint job. This must have been Passenity's own museum. Cobblestone surrounded it like the courtyard, trailing off into the streets nearby. Jasmine stared at the entrance. "Passenity Museum. Lots of artifacts bathed in history are inside there in little cute glass cubes. I looked through once when I first got here, but I've been too anxious to come back until recently. You should definitely look through some time. I think, currently, I'd rather walk around a little more..."

They strolled through the main street, noticing a shrunken pagoda along the side. "This is Passenity Dojo. Did you travel to Saffron City ever when you were in Johto? This is a lot like the Fighting Dojo there. Makes sense: everything here reminds me so much of our home. It's honestly nerve-wracking, yet captivating. People here aren't _trying_ to copy Johto; rather, it's a beautiful source of inspiration. Um...let's go to the docks."  
  
They looked down the southwest side of Passenity, a spaghetti of docks bending down from the city to the sea's level. "Ohhhhh, look! They even have a small lighthouse! I never noticed that." Jasmine exclaimed, pointing to a short stone tower, waving its beacon at the water. "I can't imagine being the captain trying to navigate through that fog to reach Endeima. Some must though, right? Wonder how much they get paid..."

The ocean breeze rustled her bunny ears. "Is it selfish to want to move Amphy here with me? The lighthouse doesn't need him to constantly live up there anymore. Technology slowly spreads through Johto; a mechanical light can replace him. This isn't a matter of machines taking jobs; I just want him home with me."

She chuckled a smidge. "I said home, referring to here, didn't I? I guess I really do consider Endeima my home, even in my short time.

"Hmph. That settles it then." Her stature grew several inches. "Tomorrow I'm going to contact Olivine City. If they still can't, well...

"Nice seeing you." A pearly smile met Lail. "Having someone to share the region for the first time with... it's quite comforting. Others may feel the same, too. I don't know how long I'll stay, but when I return to Johto, I'll have a page full of memories."

The silver small dress's bottom wrapped around her legs as she tried to walk away in the strongish gale.

\---

Passenity Dojo.

Lail walked in to Midori standing around with her trainees, probably just finishing training. Reiah had her head lowered, her mentor standing over her, lecturing. 

"...the calmer you remain, the calmer your Gallade will act as well."

"But- doesn't that seem off to you?" spoke up Reiah. "Gallade should have a mind of his own. He shouldn't constantly think exactly like me. Enjoy exactly what I do."

"I'm not sure Gallade would agree with you. I think he's ecstatic just to be your partner, and live by your side."

Reiah grumbled, head still accusing the tatami mats underneath her. On the right wall, Daggen looked bored with one hand behind his head, the other shuffling around a dagger. Midori had also looked this way.

"And what are _you_ doing?"

With a less-than-normal level of giddiness in his voice, Daggen replied. "I never thought about it before, but now it keeps resurfacing: everyone fights with their Pokemon, but never with anything else to defend themselves. I want to try to get good with a weapon in my free time."

"Honestly, what's gotten into you two?!"

Reiah struggled to find words, but eventually spoke up for both of them. "You've been really reflective lately. I think it's rubbing off on us."

Facepalming, Midori shook her head and turned around, realizing Lail filled in the doorway. "Hello, Lail. Here's an idea, the two of you: treat yourselves at Agatari. Order anything you want; I'll pay for it...let me get out the money."

The duo perked up like children. "Seriously?"

"Yes. It's been a long day; I don't mind at all."

"Well, okay then!" Daggen teleported to the entrance, shaking hands with Lail. "Nice to meet ya again." In the background, Reiah hesitantly took Midori's money and met the boys in front. 

"Daggen, quit it." she barked at Daggen, who was still shaking Lail's hand joyfully. "Let's gooo, I'm really really hungry."

Inside Agatari, Lail sat on a stool with Reiah struggling to cut a grilled steak on his left and Daggen on his right practically ripping his in half with his teeth immediately before talking again.

"When I was a kid, this was heaven! In fact, it still is."

"And you're _still_ a kid." jabbed Reiah. "Technically, me too I guess."

"Heyyy, that's right. Daggen spun toward Lail. "That's weiiiiird, thinking you're a year older than us."

"Midori told us some stuff about you," Reiah chimed in, trying to explain how they knew that bit of information. "Since you had the feather and all."

Daggen's plate clunked against the counter, wiped clean. "Anyways, Lail, what's your favorite type???"

Before Lail could answer- "Reiah really likes Psychic. Like a lot. Her and her Pokemon are synced up, like in the mind."

"You're stupid."

"And mine's fire!" Daggen stuck his thumb into his chest. 

"You say that, but you always use Shiftry."

"Shiftry utilizes the sun, though. When I thought about making my team, I didn't want to use just plain fire. I wanted some gimmick surrounding it. So hey, what about harsh sunlight? Grass may be weak to fire, but together, they can wreak havoc!"

"I know. Still kinda weird you consider Shiftry your number one."

Daggen looked down at the counter again, the plate purloined by the waiter. "Ugh, I wish she didn't give us money! Feels like I'm her kid sometimes...ughhhhh."

"She is like a mom..." said Reiah, content and smiling. 

"But I want to pay for my own things, dang it."

"Yeah...too bad we've been under Midori's training for weeks now. Moving through Endeima like a caravan."

Daggen's mouth had twisted up like a pretzel (not unlike his hair). 

"Did Midori tell you the real reason we're acting as her apprentices?" Reiah asked Lail. Now he wasn't so sure...

"Don't tell him..."

"Fine. I won't. A hint, though: we didn't exactly have a full family as kids."

"I said don't tell him."

"Hey! I experienced the same thing; I get a least a little leeway in telling it." Even with a voice of confidence, Reiah seemed to blend into her stool after that.

The desolate wooden counter bordering them annoyed Daggen. "Desserts! I. Want. Desserts. What do you want, Reiah, Lail?"

Pink hair fluttered to attention; color returned to the girl's cheeks. "Um, tiramisu?"

"Ye-hes! Let's get it." he cheered, ordering the largest tiramisu available when the waiter came back most likely just because of the commotion. 

All three enjoyed the light, sugary delicacy in silence. 

"Lail *chew*, it's cool that you *chew* were able to spend time with us. This is like *chew* the first time Midori hasn't watched over us while *chew* you've been around. I'm not sure what to say *chew*...thanks, maybe?"

"I can agree with that. Thanks." added Reiah. Daggen eventually slammed the money onto the receipt, and Lail left ahead of the duo.

\---

Grace Periods

_The second Grace Period out of three. Daggen's heart would be a strawberry red, Jasmine's the same light gray and Shrika's lilac, all in Passenity_

\---

The owners of the multitude of houses treated him about the same as in Verudia. 

"We return on ND-1 News," sparked the TV in a single dad's house, his teenage daughter constantly sighing at her computer off in the far corner. 

"'Pokeblock Horror Plots,' featuring Gabby and Ty all the way in Hoenn. Tell us, you two, what plot unraveled today."

"Down in lovely Lilycove City," narrated a spritely woman's voice. "A young trainer attempts to mix berries in the Berry Blender. They drop a Rawst Berry; inside the blender swirls a beautiful blue! Then they add a Figy Berry- but what's this??? They spun the blender in a weird motion! It's spinning too fast - a spicy, purple mess blasts through the Berry Blender onto everyone around it. A wild Muchlax rams down the doors to the Contest Hall, immediately sprinting to the overworked blender and cleaning everyone up."

The ND-1 hosts were guffawing. "Great one! Thank you, Gabby and Ty. Next up is the emergence of a village thriving right under our noses!"

"A couple citizens from Acufull Village have made noise about a different village, supposedly kept secret for _hundreds_ of years, where the villagers continue to live out life the old-fashioned way." said Toushan on the left.

"Imagine that!" replied Sakanari on the right. "Sewing your own clothes and churning your own butter. But these people manage it. The name of the village is Beautiful- no, Toushan, help me out here."

"Unfortunately, we haven't received the full name of the village at this time. But... maybe that's a good thing."

"Pardon, Toushan?"

"Mi-mi?"

"Well... When an exotic island is found out, it inevitably becomes a tourist spot. I'm not sure people in this village would want that. To be gawked at. Like in a Safari Zone."

"What an interesting view! We'll be right back after these messages."

\---

One woman of a middle-aged couple did not take to Lail as sweetly. Her eyes squinted over a crooked nose. "Are you here for the fashion show? Or are you, perhaps, here for Dravyn Hooklink's Passenity release? Hmph, no matter."

"Honey." The husband walked over to the wife, resting one hand on her shoulder. "I think you might be obsessing over this Hooklink."

"His version of history is just offensively incorrect. Our being does not have a name; an attempt to romanticize and commercialize, no doubt."

"Honey, I really think you're looking way too far into this."

"Do you know Hooklink's telling?" The wife had turned to Lail, ignoring her husband. 

Shake of a head.

"People always say 'the Tadia, an ancient race.' That is false. It makes them sound not human. The people that existed back then were people. Us. Dravyn Hooklink insists, however, that the Tadia summoned Hamesagi - his name for the divine being - from a single torch planted in the grass. His being physically battled the darkness - can you believe it - and left our world by shrinking back into the torch. Allow me to read to you what really happened."

"Honey."

The wife chucked back long wavy hair to fully immerse herself in the notebook. "The ever-present darkness mentioned in every other story, is actually created from the darkness within our own hearts. The nameless divine being appeared from the night sky, the people undeserving of knowing its true name. It tried to walk them into the light - committing good deeds without something to gain, guiding those who continued to only see the darkness in the world. Years passed, and the being gave up; people would not change just because they were asked to. The being sealed itself in a world of spirit, hoping that just a single person would have enough light in their heart to bring it back and change the world."

Dust flew everywhere as she snapped the book shut. "That is my version, passed down to me from my grandparents."

"Yes, grandparents is right." commented the husband. "Lots of the elderly looove to hang on to that version. There's another crazy old woman in Verudia preaching it every five seconds." 

"It's the truth." said the wife. "I don't have any snacks to offer, but you have a nice day," she now aimed at Lail. "And keep that story in mind, hmm?"

\---

Eloise and her parents were spotted still searching down the streets, glancing in every window available. The girl squealed when she saw Lail, running up to greet him, her parents reacting awkwardly, stuck in the big city.

In front of Versaiya, Lail stood staring up at its neon sign - a hot pink circle encasing the Pokemon looking to its right. A feathered mask covered its face, its antennas also happening to stick out of it. The wings, skinny from the angle, constantly flashed in different colors. Rows of people in front of him wobbled around, waiting for something amazing to happen. 

Then the steel front doors whammed open automatically, greeted by hoots and hollers. A flood entered the fashion hall, Lail trailing far behind, unsure of what to expect. 


	12. Zenhara

The inside of Versaiya sparkled in pink and purple light. Projected searchlights idled over curtains on a wall which would lead to a narrow runway, sticking out into the room. An incredibly fast pop song blared overhead, a couple patrons dancing in place, others just chatting as they waited.

"Attention, ladies and gentlemen and Pokemon, this evening's fashion show will shortly begin."

Handfuls of people began to line the runway's border, Lail uncomfortably among them.

The lights dimmed; the searchlights snapped to the curtains. A few people hooted and the announcer spoke again:

"Welcome!, to Versaiya's Evening Spectacle! Arrrrrre you ready??"

Louder cheers emanated from the bigger crowd, the music fading out and the edges of the runway now bursting with neon lights. Two Mime Jr. bounced onto the stage, overlapping and positioning themselves at either end of the curtains.

Singing from the music overhead stopped completely.

"And now- may we present Star Number One!" A new song, louder than before, started and people cried in anticipation. The Mime Jr. shimmied their arms, stretching them out to the curtains as if ready to present something. The searchlights waved frantically.

_♪ Like a look in a mirror; face my Doppelgänger, how 'bout you? Aren't you? ♪_

Lail felt a cold presence from behind him; a member of the Shadow Triad stood inches away, their breath icily brushing his neck.

"A new feather... most likely genuine this time."

"Wearing a beautiful pink dress in hopes to compliment her Wigglytuff," hyped up the announcer. The Mime Jr. stood on one leg: their leg closest to the curtains. The crowd jumped up and down, oblivious. Purple beams raised from the border.

_♪ Beware of attentions, entourages and mates, you are what you do ♪_

"Aaaaand here she is!"

"It stands strong with you," said the Shadow. "But we must take it...take it...for..." Lail, just now able to react, turned back with a Pokeball gripped and teeth clenched. But the Shadow sulked there as if they were drugged. He stood utterly confused until a Slurpluff shuffled into view from behind the Shadow's legs, some visible pink concoction rising from its head and swirling around the assailer's.

_♪ Right now burn your soul, neck or nothing. Burn it out 'til you're losing your reason; forget the stoned reason to drive it ♪_

The curtains flew to the sides as the song hit its chorus. Out walked a beautiful woman in a kimono-dress hybrid, seductively outstretching her arms to the audience as she strut. _Hitomi!_ A Wigglytuff bounced forward alongside her, matching the outfit's colors and look. The Mime Jr. clapped; so did the audience.

Hitomi continued to strut... until she immediately halted where she overlooked Lail and the Shadow. She now garnered the room's attention but in a peculiar way.

_♪ So do I burn my soul, all to nothing. Burn it out, let me charge in your advance. I'm watching for the chance to beat it ♪_

"Attention, everyone!" yelled Hitomi. "There is currently a member of the Shadow Triad in the building, right here."

People screamed and wiggled their arms as they fled the fashion hall.

"Heya Lail! And thank you, Slurpluff, for keeping our friend there."

Slurpluff had its tongue stuck out.

"How inspiring that a member of the Shadow Triad was able to be caught in a place like this. Lail, please go and inform the others of this encounter. I'll take things from here; I'd like to understand why a Shadow is in my fashion hall."

Lail speedwalked out of the place, hearing Hitomi yell "Slurpuff- Sticky Web! And now Wigglytuff... Wake-Up Slap!" from the runway behind him.

_♪ Cuz you make me feel... breathless! ♪_

_\---_

_ Oboro - HHHxMMxST _

_[The music playing in Versaiya before the show starts. Even though I imagine a lot of this story in 3D, I can't help but imagine the people in here as 2D sprites, flipping back and forth to the beat of the song.]_

_ Bre@th//Less- Aldnoah Zero (0:49 to whenever) _

_[Hitomi emerges from behind the curtains as the chorus hits. The song would fade in a little before that.]_

\---

Five Pokemon Trainers - Midori, Daggen, Reiah, Shrika, Devin - were bunched together, tense as they stared at the entrance to Versaiya, lightening up a little in interest when Lail came out.

"We heard lots and lots of screaming." said Devin, people in the background still running away.

"What happened?" Midori asked Lail. He quickly repeated the events that already happened super-quickly.

"Wow..." commented Shrika, grinning. "I take it you also enjoyed the show?"

"Oh yeah." also grinned Devin. "Hitomi's fourth job. The most entertaining one by far. Speak of the angel."

Hitomi strut out of Versaiya, her Wigglytuff and Slurpluff acting like her bodyguards.

"Well?" asked Shrika.

"They only said 'a similar mind' before pulling a ninja trick and vanishing in a cloud of smoke. I... um. I have no idea what that means."

"Should we send a comm to Unova?"

"But Endeima is so far away from, like, everything. And besides, I don't think any of the other regions actually care about us."

"A similar mind..." reflected Midori. "Someone similar to Ghetsis..."

Reiah hesitantly spoke up. "To someone evil like that? No one in Endeima acts that way!"

"It doesn't have to be outright evil." answered Hitomi. "Someone with a distaste for the world, perhaps."

Lail and Midori's eyes met for a second.

"If the Triad is here for the feather," she began, "then they are here for Naosu's Quill as well, which is in the museum just a few dozen yards away."

"Couldn't they have stolen it by now? They got Lail's feather with barely any effort." said Reiah.

"In a populous city such as this, I imagine the effort required is tripled. One method I'm guessing they will take is raiding the museum when it's night."

"A night raid!" exclaimed Daggen. "Sounds wicked!"

Shrika gleamed. "I take it we're guarding it? I don't mind staying out in the darkest hours."

"Lail!" Zinnia came running into the circle the trainers had formed. Slurpluff and Wigglytuff jiggled in surprise.

"Oh, who is this?" inquired Shrika.

"I'm Zinnia. I've been helping Spruce around the region. I've heard talk about the Shadow Triad appearing here; are you all trying to stop them?"

"Everything is fine." said Midori. "We're just commenting on the Triad currently, actually."

"No, no." said Zinnia, shaking her head. "If the champion and three gym leaders are in a circle like this, something is up. I want to help."

"You can help by aiding Lail in his travel to the next gym. I believe you did that before."

"Are you serious? The league challenge does nothing to stop the bad guys! And Lail is perfectly capable of finishing it without me."

"Please, Zinnia. Enjoy Endeima without worrying about the fear-mongering every step of the way. I and these people will wholeheartedly handle it."

Zinnia sighed, turning to Lail with a defeated head. "Nice to see you again, huh?"

"So whats'da plan?" asked Daggen.

Midori began to dictate a plan like a coach. "To cover all of our bases, let's split into groups: Shrika and Devin can cover the courtyard in the center of the city. Hitomi and Daggen can patrol the streets. Reiah and I will stand in front of the museum."

"Me? Right there?" anxiously came Reiah's voice.

"Don't worry, Reiah," chuckled Midori. "I believe in you."

"Actually," said Hitomi, "I need to go back home, to the daycare. I spent overnight here getting ready for the show. I'm going to have a family and a whole bunch of Pokemon worrying about me if I postpone any longer."

"Well then... Daggen. Think you're able to patrol alone?"

"Yeah-heah!" cheered Daggen. "Totally."

Everyone continued to sway in the circle.

"Was...everyone waiting for me to say some closing words?" asked Midori.

"Now you have to." said Shrika.

"Okay." Midori smiled. "May everyone be blessed." The circle broke up.

"Good luck on your next gym battle, Lail." said Devin, approaching him alongside Shrika. "Next guy is a real hoot."

"Yeah..." grimaced Shrika. "Kentu. The most uptight man on the planet."

"Gee, I dunno... Chase is up there too. And Ion. Notice how Lail hasn't seen the other three leaders yet."

"Ion...is he even around anymore?"

"Beats me. Might've died and we would never know."

"Anyways, nice to meet you Zinnia. Enjoy Neo-Passenity, a very peculiar place Endeima didn't use to possess."

"Yeah, we'll try..." said Zinnia, her voice trailing off.

She spoke again when the two left. "Seeing the rest of Endeima...do I even want to do that anymore? But if it's with someone else, then I'll still try."

A small smile appeared. "I've heard incredible things about Neo-Passenity, and the forest in between it. Let's see for ourselves. Just need to pass the rightest torii."  
  
  


Before they could, an old man literally sprinted in front of them. "You there!" He pointed at Zinnia, using a raspy voice short of breath. "Do you need a rod?"

"A rod?" she repeated, dumbfounded.

"A rod, a rod! For fishing in the sea."

" _This_ sea?" Zinnia pointed her thumb back at the sea at the center of Endeima, the intense storm clearly visible. "How do you even use a rod in it?"

"No! You don't use _any_ old rod." Several indecipherable grumbles. "Let me just give it to you, dangnabbit. My back's been aching to get rid of it for ages. The teensy amount of trainers trickling by always deny it."

He rapidly shuffled up to her, grabbing her hand and placing a Ride Pager into it, a deep purple with a green outline. "Here, you too! I have spares to get rid of as well." Lail's hand had a pager shoved into it as well.

"What Pokemon is it for?"

"Ah! A Dhelmise."

"Woah. Never even seen one."

"Dhelmise is the strongest anchor you can find. And an excellent caster! Some rocks along the shore surround pockets of still water. Send Dhelmise into there, and nag yourself a Pokemon. I used a Gorebyss caught from there to nag me a wife."

"Thank you?"

"Myyyyy pleasure. My home is always welcome to visitors like you." In a blink of an eye, the man dashed to his home down the street.

"I have to admit, I'm curious." said Zinnia, hands on her hips. "Fishing in a stormy sea. Should we try it?"

Lail followed Zinnia past the outskirts of the town to a grassy cliff's edge, hanging out over roaring waves beneath it. Bending on her tiptoes, Zinnia gazed over into the blockade of rocks lining near the rock walls.

"The right island is considerably higher than the left, isn't it? At least right here. I think I saw a really steep path back there that can take us down to the rocks."

She rode behind Lail on Siracle's back as it hopped down a narrow trail digging into the cliff. Eventually they reached a small rocky shore on the sea's level, hidden from view by the looming walls around them.

Zinnia picked a hair off of her gray pants. "Thanks for that. That was actually kind of fun... frightening, but fun." Siracle had its wrinkly head stroked by her, then hopped back up the path.

Larger, ominous rocks stuck out further into the sea. Zinnia looked nervous. "Okay. How are we doing this. Oooh, how about, heads or tails." A silver coin emerged from her pockets, shining onto her thumb. "Heads, you go first. Tails, I have to."

The coin shimmered in the mist before landing back into her palm.

She groaned. "Alright, how do I do this..."

Her Ride Pager flipped open. _"Dhelmise?"_

A whirlpool rapidly formed near their feet; a buoy's bell began to echo out into the rippling water. Old creaking of wood joined the fray as a Dhelmise gradually rose out of the water, the compass on its wheel for a head staring down at the pair.

"Hello," came Zinnia after sliding back a couple inches. "Can you fish for us? And...how even?"

Dhelmise issued its cry, splashing in the water as it tried to lean the top half of itself backwards.

_"On you?"_

More clacks as Dhelmise slowly leaned forward. Zinnia shook her head, not exactly wanting to believe what she was about to do. She bobbed up and down before steeling herself and walking toward the towering Pokemon.

Squirming and splashing, Zinnia finally managed herself on Dhelmise, one arm wrapped around its body while she sat curled up on the wooden anchor, the bottom layer of her shoes lightly treading the water. "Alright. How are we getting in between those rocks?"

That was when Dhelmise _floated_ into the air, lowering itself inside the lines of sharp rocks. Zinnia reaffirmed she wanted to do this; Lail then heard the shot of an anchor, whirring deep into the sea beneath.

An uncomfortable few minutes passed, both Zinnia and Lail rocking back and forth in different circumstances.................until the casted chain clinked, everyone exclaiming before Dhelmise flung itself out of the water, taking Zinnia with it as well as a giant aquatic Pokemon wrapped in its chain.

Both Pokemon plopped into the water; Zinnia thumped gracefully onto the rocky shore. In front of them, the Pokemon - in the shape of an eel, Lail saw - roared and slid itself free of Dhelmise. This eel formed ripples as it dunked entirely into the sea.

"Did we lose it-"

The Pokemon rocketed into the air, taking squally water with it. Both the droplets condensing into the mist and its body levitated. The eel - no, dragonfish - had a serpent's body with a ferocious silver head and a cheery blossom for a tail. Lail took particular note of a wispy blue orb at the tip of its angler, trapped in a silver bird's cage.

Ferocious eyes looked down upon Zinnia.

"Lail, you can take it easy. I'm going to beat this one on my own." She planted her feet under the crevices of stone. A Pokeball flew into the air, the bright light popping out taking the shape of an Exploud shielding her.

"Come on, Aster. Let's finish this one together."

Exploud's rings of sound paralyzed the dragonfish, squirming in the air. Spherical whiteness of a Focus Blast closed in on its face. Skidding along the water, the dragonfish sneered and summoned a Dragon Pulse knocking Exploud off balance. A couple more similar trades, and the dragonfish fell onto the rocks, fatigued.

Zinnia gently placed a Pokeball on its cheek sporting a translucent blue heart; red light encased the body and shrunk it in, caught. Dhelmise sunk back into the depths, the buoy's bell reappearing before growing fainter. 

"I wonder if Professor Spruce already has an entry for this one." she said, pulling out her own Pokedex. "Homenway... I see.

"And it's Dragon-type. With Okarthro, I now have two moments in Endeima where I've truly enjoyed encountering the Pokemon it has to offer. This one speaks to me especially, on the levels of Aster and Salamence, yet I've only now met it. Oh, you don't know about my Pokemon yet, do you?"

Aster-Exploud widely smiled at Lail before also shrinking in red.

Zinnia looked into the sky, sending Homenway back out. It once again levitated above the tempestuous waters. Not as an enemy, but as a god, instilling a raw power inside of Lail's mind, like he could do suddenly do anything.

\---

_ Troubled - Persona 3 _

_[Hitomi explains the results of her interrogation to the group. Midori forms a plan to counter the Shadow Triad's next heist. It cuts to Heartbeat, Heartbreak after the group breaks up.]_

\---

They successfully crossed the right torii onto a much darker path. _Route 712 - Path of Black Ash._ Only a little ways down, a path branched left leading to a leafless forest.This one was composed of charred bare trees, yet a milky collection of lights hung around the tops of each one, imitating the domes of leaves. 

"Pretty." commented Zinnia. Both kept on the main path.

"You felt it too, right? Homenway isn't a legendary Pokemon; it's completely normal, and common. So why does it feel that way?" Zinnia had begun to question many things about her life since the cliff.

Lail stopped, watching her work, thinking thought after thought out loud. 

"Okarthro was just me being entertained, absorbed by the new-toy aspect of the region; Homenway feels like a monument compared to that. Spruce's Pokedex also states it represents duality, but what does that mean for me?"

She finally noticed that Lail had left her behind several feet ago. "Sorry to get all existential on you. It's part of how I was raised, I guess."

Her crimson eyes scanned a wall of maple trees being formed ahead of them, narrowing the path to a body's width, just like Unnacturne. "You can go ahead of me. I...need more time to think to myself."

A batch of trainers stood on either edge of the purple leaves, raring for someone to come by to battle. One had a Hyazar, Devin's partner; lots of others were purple, an Arbok and Forretress among the roster. 

He then faced not a trainer but the wall of maples. He wasn't sure why he readied himself before going through. Maples left him behind in an entirely different looking area. 

Brown grass lined the edges of the route. Ahead, past a few more trainers, stood a vast factory in the shape of a mausoleum. Long windows tainted orange complimented the sunset now lining the tops of the dead trees of Celestiash.

"Eerie, yet fascinating." Zinnia caught up to him, absorbed in the facade, then at the sky. "Almost night...would Kentu even be at his gym at this time? We'll find out soon..." 

Thick pipes from the factory wove into a covered landfill with wavy like farmland with a greenish tint. Various objects stuck out of it. Lail also discovered that wild Pokemon hid inside it as well as he explored, Zinnia standing back. 

Bubbling and sizzling emerged from an acid pool directly to the right of the landfill. As Lail bent right, the pool kept going and going...

Neo-Passenity, with a factory that spread its disease and created its own area.

"Look at this place...a barren wasteland. You can't even tell what it looked like before the destruction. A ghost of nature, of what it once was; heh, you could apply that to some humans, as gross as that sounds." By Lail's side, Zinnia returned to her reflective self.

"This route... traveling along all of them is truthfully one of the most exciting parts of my life."

Then she built up rage at the yellow fizz underneath her. "I shouldn't be allowed to enjoy any of it, after what I did in my past. Hmm? What do you think?" Her words were aimed at her quivering bag. Blue light escaped it; her Exploud stood by her, reaching about her height.

Both gazed at each other, in a silent conversation. "You're right, Aster; it's not a sin if it's for someone else. Lail, part of the reason I enjoy traversing Endeima is because I'm with you, and also because my old team is back with me." Squinting in glee, Exploud had her nose scratched. Her owner tried looking down the yellow river.

"The gym is supposed to be somewhere here, yet all we see is toxic waste."

They eventually hit _something_ : the pair continued down until they met a mahogany boardwalk, zigzagging into the air toward several other planks, standing on skinny support beams of wood, diving into the acid. 

The planks upwards began to creak; a familiar plump man bounced down the walk to greet Lail:

"Hi, my name is Jin! Just Jin! No, not with a 'G!' You pronounce it differently too (it's a very small difference you just can't detect it). Welcome to the Neo-Passenity Gym! I see through my two eyes that we have two challengers this evening!"

"Actually," replied Zinnia, "I'm just accompanying him. I was wondering who operates that factory though. It's not Devon Corp, is it-"

"Hmm, the factory? Endeima's factory has been closed for years."

"It has?" Her expression softened a little, glancing back at the faint hunk of steel.

"Yes, but the acid river it created still remains as crispy as ever. A symbol of the scars never leaving us, I suppose."

"That river, wouldn't it dissolve your leader's gym?"

"Oh-ho-ho! That's the good part: Kentu's gym has been _blessed!_ By his own Pokemon! The wood harvested respectfully from nature will never shrivel. Kentu took this barren land, you see, and made use of it. For that, Zenhara granted everlasting."

"Pokemon with powers. I wholeheartedly believe that tale." Zinnia smiled. "Hm. What you say about here also lessens the distaste in my mouth."

"We think alike, miss! I respect Kentu enough now to stay out here, anyways. But for our spectacular challenger, come! The gym leader's type is incredibly hard to guess: Poison! Are you in shock? Oho, that last part _is_ hard to guess its meaning! Please, take this Fresh Water. Surroundings of acid might eventually make your stomach a *little* queasy." 

Lail desperately kept his balance on the stitched wooden planks. Trainers awaited at the dead ends and even the middles of paths, causing him to backtrack. Geysers of acid shot up between openings. In order to pass the splash zone, he had to snatch a flute, also wooden, from stands attached to the planks. When played in a pattern (denoted by signs next to the flute), the acid turned to clear water, perfectly safe. And something about the gym allowed his clothes to dry faster than normal. He had questions about the whole process, but decided against asking.

Crossing his arms in contemplation, on a rectangular platform far in the back, meditated Kentu. Soon almost face to face, he looked up and revealed his appearance: an extremely bald and tanned man with Pokeballs around his neck and purple tattoos on his bare torso. 

"A-ha! A meek trainer coming to challenge me; long time no see. I am Kentu; I and my Pokemon aim to reshape the world. My Pokemon can even change the weather, branching off of man's creations."

He articulated the next set of words slowly raising a pointing finger. "Are you ready to be judged? To experience nothing but uncertainty underneath your feet? Let us open the portal to a fierce battle."

\---

_ No Justice - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[Route 712 and Neo-Passenity's theme.]_

_ Driver VS - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[Kentu exclaims angrily at the screen. He grabs a ball from his neck and throws it. First is his Weezing, spinning out and floating. Kentu uses all Friend Balls.]_

_Pokemon Kentu uses: Weezing, Garbodor, Nukeon, Zenhara_

\---

First Kentu sent out Weezing, who used Rain Dance. Lail assumed a strategy, turned over when an ability activated from the Pokemon. The rain morphed into acid green droplets, hurting any of his Pokemon that weren't Poison-type.

Kentu called out his Zenhara. A large frog plopped onto the battlefield, resting its hands on its large stomach, reminding Lail of a Buddha's statue. Its mouth and stomach was a creamy white, inoffensive compared to its sick yellow back with purple splotches emitting a faint green gas. The yellow eyes sticking out on its head stared down at Lail condescendingly. It, too, changed the summoned rain to acid. 

Lail's Pokemon sent it rolling backwards, returning to Kentu's Pokeball before it could hit the mahogany. Kentu resumed crossing his arms.

"Hmph. Very well! You dominated weather and nature. The Acid Badge is now mine to give, a remembrance of the abilities of Poison Pokemon. As well as Toxic, unable to be missed if used by one. Return to your home with pride."

Lail waved at Zinnia and Exploud, skidding down the steep entrance to the gym. 

"Congrats." 

The stars swirled in a mix of yellow-green, illuminated by the acid pool. "Night." commented Zinnia. "Whatever plan the Champion was making, it's bound to happen soon. We eventually need to go back, but, I want to enjoy the moment a tad longer."

They both (and Exploud behind them) admired the water droplet badge, shifting from blue to a dark shade of green at the bottom. A purple outline reflected the acid's light. 


	13. Sabero

Warm light through the windows and trees colored the streets of Passenity. Reiah sat against a house, the cobblestone entrance to the museum a few dozen feet to her right. Next to her Gallade also leaned with his arms crossed. 

"All alone...Midori left us for something important. Wish she told me. Now it's just you and me.

"I never asked you if you were okay with this life. Battling until both of us are dead." she said, sideways glancing at her Pokemon. He remained unresponsive, focusing his attention on any possible action. Some of it, however, was still secretly devoted to Reiah. 

"Are you really alright with it, Gallade? For weeks you've been by my side...fighting. I don't mind the fighting. What makes me anxious is becoming one of the most regarded trainers in the region, having everyone think of me differently just because of the position... I'm not used to the attention. But for you-"

Gallade had taken himself off the wall, smiling at Reiah and pumping his arms. She giggled.

"If that drive comes from you, then I shouldn't hold back."

A minuscule footstep sounded from down the street. Heads instantly turned to a Shadow stepping into the middle of the road, standing there without acting. Gallade left his spot beside a defensive Reiah and rushed forward, ready for combat.

From the side also entered a metallic sabertooth tiger, an axe stuck on its tail and a blade stuck in its mouth - a Sabero, Reiah recognized. Both sides continued to silently analyze one another. Sabero dashed out wordlessly.

"Gallade- Close Combat!"

"Protect."

The Sabero raised its tail and a blue translucent sphere materialized and encircled it, glimmering. Gallade's fists made impact, creating a loud crack as it pushed into the shield, grunting as Sabero gave an unchanging intimidating look from inside its protection.

"Iron Tail."

The shield snapped off and Sabero quickly spun forward, sending its tail whipping straight down, Gallade dodging to the side just in time as the axe cracked into the ground.

Reiah's Pokemon sprung high into the air, the blades on his arms and head glowing bright blue. At maximum height he sent a crescent blade of energy straight to the enemy who sliced it in half with its tail. Gallade, now falling back down, crossed his blue arms and dove toward Sabero, clashing into another Protect. Still attacking from above in a perpetual falling motion, he pushed harder, and the shield began to break like glass. The Protect was called off; a duel ensued of a flurry of fists and metal between the call of orders from each side.

Along the streets of the city elsewhere, the second Shadow hurried through, jumping on and off roofs with his Bisharp.

Not far behind, Daggen ran with his Shiftry alongside him and energetically puffed out breaths. "Shiftry, you know what to do." His Shiftry put distance between Daggen then jumped onto the roofs of the buildings lining the street, soon disappearing into the darkness.

Daggen skidded to a halt with a smile. "Stumperor!"

A leafy dragon with a jack o' lantern for a head, exuding fire out of its carved eyes and mouth, emerged from a side alleyway spreading its wings of leaves and easily blocking the entire street. The Shadow pointed and their Bisharp sprung forward to attack it when Shiftry materialized right in front, swinging its leaf hand with enough force to send Bisharp crashing into the side of a building. The Shadow, realizing the mistake, reverted and attempted to flee when vines erupted from the ground and tied down their feet, causing them to stumble to the paved dirt. Stumperor looked down at them sinisterly, summoning more vines to wrap around the Shadow's fallen arms. 

A third Shadow leapt through the courtyard, dodging the heckerings of a flying Dragular. It dispersed hexes and Air Slashes, most beating up the stone around the area. 

Out of nowhere, the uppercut from a Krookodile - guarding the Shadow - connected with Dragular, spinning it into the night sky. Another Air Slash from the opposite direction quickly cut into Krookodile's back, keeling it over. Cooing sounded from an Oricorio, high above the Shadow and their Pokemon heading across the open area. Devin perched on a pointed roof watched it fly by. 

"Such beautiful moves. I wish I could have seen more." Krookodile and the Shadow angrily shifted their gaze to Shrika, calmly standing across the courtyard.

She fanned herself while, out of the stony ground, emerged her Revigen in a tangle of glowing, pale white roots. The roots rushed across like a raging wave, overcoming Krookodile in an instant; the Shadow vaulted over it as it then flattened out. 

Shrika continued with her sadistic face even as the Shadow dashed closer. A Hyazar dropped down right in front of her, emitting a powerful Hypnosis; Revigen on the other side clutched an ankle in miniature rhizomes. The Shadow immediately tried to free themselves, proving ineffective as they instantly drifted off.

Sad and cold wind traveled across Palihan, disturbing Midori's dress. She stared at the distant Passenity.

"At first I thought you'd be clueless, but I was kidding myself. Of course you'd know it was me." Kuro appeared from somewhere, a sneering Panthurn walking alongside him. Moonlight no longer had to bask them all in pitiful silver; a makeshift lantern glowed inside Panthurn's tail. Kuro's hat had flown off somewhere a ways back; free white hair was affected by the breeze.

"Why the sudden change? What snapped." Grass hissed; Midori spun, pendant spinning with her, her Roriglade spreading out its neck of petals. 

"Digging into my home."

"Is that really all of it. Do you have absolutely _no_ faith for humanity left??"

"I do have faith. In people, and in the being that created our world. It can wipe over us, maybe instilling something purer."

"Have you ever once tried fixing this yourself?!"

"Have you?!! Raising new trainers, for what? To continue those modern traditions that only harm us."

"And just how exactly were you planning to stop me from going after you?" Roriglade stepped.

Panthurn growled. "Seems conflicts always solve themselves through Pokemon battles. But unfortunately, that's where we have to fall tonight."

Roriglade dug its front feet into the ground, and let out a deep, threatening roar. Flowers in the distance popped open, ready to bloom then also suddenly leaning over, wilted. 

Kuro gave a silent order to his Pokemon. Wobbling black and purple from a Dark Pulse shot without warning at Roriglade, grazing its body. Another torrent of darkness clashed against an Energy Ball full of green and yellow, the impact creating fireworks of color. 

"It's so easy to stop!" cried Kuro. "You know _exactly_ what I'm aiming to do, and how to do it! Stop acting like Endeima has ever once filled you with joy." 

Ghastly black trails of a Shadow Claw cut across Roriglade's neck, sending it rolling. It stood up as soon as it could, protecting itself from the next onslaught. 

"A man who's given up on the world doesn't deserve whatever enlightenment and respect comes from the being. How can a world look up to you when you've shunned everyone away to call the being down? You claim you don't do this for yourself, but the reasons pushing you over only matter to you; you may think you stand tall but you act like nothing more than a spoiled toddler!"

Roriglade started; a flash of silver passed and the ground trembled. Panthurn lay on the grass, pinned by a large paw forcefully on its chest with Roriglade watching over it, analyzing every aspect of its opponent.

"I'll never be able to explain my thoughts. Endeima is a shell of what it once was. Maybe I can put it back on some sort of path, aiming for something in life. But in order to do that, you have to let me go."

Kuro's Zangoose hopped from nowhere to the back of Midori. The crackle of electricity...then sound and wind stopped. Sparks from a Thunder Wave enveloped her body. Her knees hit the grass. Green blades dotted her dress and green stains enveloped it. Roriglade rocketed into the air from a powerful blast of a Dark Pulse, Panthurn taking advantage of the sudden distraction. The white tiger landed in the grass unconsciously.

Midori clutched her stained fists, digging further into the short green sea. 

"Your..true colors...you're..really there." she panted, inching closer to the grass. 

Without looking back, Kuro vanished with his Pokemon. 

\---

Zinnia and Lail sauntered into Passenity, staring at the Celestiash trees and the stars in the sky. Their attitudes transformed upon reaching the museum, where Reiah crouched on the stone, buried in her hands. 

"Oh!" Zinnia rushed over to the scene. Daggen, Shrika, and Devin, who all stood around, jerked their heads to meet the newcomers. "What happened??"

"Well...the Shadows came..." halfway said Devin, staring back down at Reiah.

"I'm so so sorry," began Reiah. "You constantly fill me with words of praise- yet the one time I'm put to the test- I-"

"No, it's alright. The fault lies in me. I left for something else instead of staying with you. You _are_ strong." Midori was kneeling beside Reiah, her words passing out like a mother's. Roriglade came closer and nudged Reiah, softly purring. 

"That doesn't mean anything! I lost. That's what matters. And now the feather everyone tried to protect is gone." 

Passenity's museum doors were hanging off the hinges, a high pitched squeak occasionally poking Lail's eardrums. The shadow casted from them spread over the cobblestone, the yellow lanterns illuminating everything else in the city's streets. No other villager was out on them.

Reiah shook her head and fumblingly lifted herself up. "Please, just talk to each other without me."

"The Shadow we interrogated," muttered Devin in Midori's direction, "said 'we were attracted to.' Then they also puffed away like Hitomi's did."

"Another piece." smiled Shrika. "'We were attracted to a similar mind,' I presume is the full sentence." 

"Man, you all are lucky!" groaned Daggen. "My guy said nothin'." 

Midori got up too, fixing her pearly white dress. "So they came here because someone reminded them of Ghetsis. It's not unheard of that the Shadow Triad followed him everywhere. But then he disappeared, taking Team Plasma with him...so now, the Triad must be clinging to whatever resemblance remains."

"But why here?" theorized Shrika. "Out of every villain in every place in the world they could latch onto, why one in some secluded island with a bunch of trees?"

Devin exaggeratingly clunked his chin with his fist. "Hmmmmm, indeed. Endeima already has so many strange things happening within it; an infamous group of thieves sounds not that Farfetch'd. All in the nature of the region."

"And with them snatching the feather...what do we all do now?"

Reiah had shrunk to a third of her size. 

"Someone can watch Sandsaahi, where the portal supposedly rests." began Midori.

"Ohhhh, Chase could do that without even asking him." said Shrika. 

"That's true. Then, I do think we should send a comm to Unova. Let them know about the situation."

"Will they even respond?" asked Devin. "We're some shadow world to them. I give it two weeks until they forget again."

"We should still try. And finally, we need to stay vigilant of any of the Triad's activity. They eventually have to show themselves, assuming they are the ones who will use the feather."

"How exciting!" The trio of Daggen, Shrika, and Devin were ecstatic at the thought of staking out ninjas. 

Zinnia looked fairly blank. "So you all actually met the Shadow Triad? I'm sorry; I have no idea what is going on here."

Devin did a one-eighty without lifting his feet. "Ah, I would be delighted to spill to Lail's friend all about it. I love telling stories. So does Shrika here, buuuuut..."

"I believe it is time Lail and I had our gym battle." Shrika completed Devin's sentence, spreading out her fan and glancing at Lail. 

Midori chuckled. "Yes, life must go on. Well, it's sadly back to work for us." she beamed at the sullen Reiah, who nodded at the ground. 

"Do you think you know who the new Ghetsis is yet?" She finally spoke up again. 

"Unfortunately, no. More reason for us to keep roaming across Endeima. Do you still like it?"

"I do..." answered Reiah. "But the man we're now looking for- it's my fault."

"Again, it's _not_ your fault. I should have been there to face the Triad's strongest member, but I had to- it's nothing."

"Yeah, _nothing_..." grumbled Reiah, shuffling behind Midori, between the Champion and a giddy Daggen. Midori paused for a split second, glancing at Lail, who was meeting with Shrika; she decided to move on. 

Bushy baby blue locks flew in different directions as Shrika fanned herself. "Well, boy, I will be waiting for you in my gym, the tallest building in the city. Even tonight; I am ready any hour of the day. Until we shortly meet again, hm?" She walked away, backwards.

Devin faced Lail and Zinnia, suddenly bending down to one knee. "Friend of Lail's..."

"Zinnia."

"Zinnia...art thou ready to understand the events that transpired within the hours of dusk?"

"......Sure. I realize there's a lot I still have left to understand.... Hey Lail, good luck with Shrika. I think I need to wander on my own some more. After this of course."

A tall skinny pagoda possessing purple layers of roofs and haunting windows stared down at Lail, breaking his neck to take it all in. The entrance opened on its own, hissing as purple fog spilled out. Shrika's doing...hopefully. He crossed into the ghastly tower.

\---

_ Warcry - Hiroyuki Sawano _

_[Plays during everyone's battle. Begins when the first Shadow crosses into Reiah's view. I'm not sure how long each would take, but the theme would continue during the scene with Midori and Kuro, cutting abruptly when she is hit by Zangoose's Thunder Wave.]_

\---

Purple tatami mats crisscrossed around on the floor. In each corner a brazier carried a purple flame. Fog in a thin layer jumped over his shoes. At least, what he could see. Between the flames and a couple ancient yellow lanterns attached to the walls and ceiling was complete darkness, the few sources of light unable to carry through the entire room.

"Welcome Lail, to Miss Shrika's Ghost-type gym!" A woman enjoying herself spoke over an invisible intercom. "This haunted pagoda will never be what it seems...and now, to begin, please take the elevator in front of you. Best wishes!"

A shiny elevator at the end of the first floor automatically opened with a cheery _ding!_

Inside the normal office lift, lines of light passed along the edges along with the usual thumps and clacks. Even boring elevator music played over Lail's head. 

Suddenly, however, the lights and grueling music inside the elevator shut off. Lail tried pressing the button to open the doors without any luck, each attempt producing the familiar echoing click.

He waited a few seconds, thinking how to approach it next, when the doors flung open, once again on their own, and a Haunter dashed through to attack him. 

The Pokemon fled after a quick battle, the doors snapping shut before Lail could leave. Normal music and light resumed, the elevator humming upwards. 

Shortly after it stopped again, the light blinking and disappearing then leaving him in darkness. The doors slowly whooshed open, revealing a dark hallway lit with purple torches behind black grates. Wood planks, paper, and furniture laid along the aisle, creating an obstacle course of sorts. 

Crossing piles of mess, maneuvering through a vacant apartment due to a wall of cabinets laying on top of each other - with a hole in the wall acting as his exit - and down a hall in a different direction, he entered another shiny elevator. It hummed going up. 

He fell back against the wall as it jerked to a stop for a third time. His body then froze as something on the other side pounded against the doors. They swung open, and a Golurk greeted him, taking up the entire frame and more. 

Like after fighting Haunter, Lail immediately found himself trapped inside, going up once once more. They dinged open - another messy floor with apartments this time, except with trainers in kimonos ready to battle. So it was all intentional. 

Fighting more ghost Pokemon, he reached another elevator on the opposite side carrying him through the rest of the maze. 

Many dark floors later and the elevators dinged a final time, leading him into a wide, clear room, with a slightly visible long purple runner in the middle-

On each side of it, lines of braziers burst into action with purple fire. And beyond those on the left and right edges of the room were women with fans, held up to cover their faces. 

Shrika, at the very end of the mat, swished aside her own fans to reveal herself. "The raven leaves its post; the shadow peels itself off the ground, ready!! Are _you_ ready to battle me, Lail?"

She stepped forward, her trainers darting their fans into the air. 

"I will not hold back, and I will not do it like the others. A double battle with our Pokemon! Ah, I cannot wait! The ghost strikes; let us begin!!!"

Her trainers began waving their fans around, the flames dancing, responding to the cuts in the wind. Shrika did her own elegant dance with her fans, ending with crossing them out wide in front of her. A wall of fire erupted from behind her, and Dusk Balls fell onto her fans.

\---

_ Next Time On Bakugan - Bakugan Battle Brawlers _

_[Plays during Shrika's show for her gym battle. Starts when the fire appears. Somewhat silly I know, but it totally fits.]_

_ Light the Fire Up in the Night (Kagejikan) - Persona Q _

_[Shrika's unique gym battle theme, less serious than Driver VS because of what we already know about her. Shrika menacingly grins, then flings both fans so that her Dusk Balls cross and send out her first Pokemon. Her Oricorio comes out first, using its ability to copy its allies' moves. Shrika's other Pokemon are the main heavy hitters.]_

_Pokemon Shrika uses: Revigen, Oricorio, Chandelure, Hagfizz, Zombeon_

\---

The fire burned calmly. 

"Congratulations. I wished the excitement lasted longer, but fate would not allow me more of the rush. And thus the Thrill Badge is yours to possess. Please take good care of this fragment of your soul...now let me show you the way out, apart from the maze of floors, hmm?"

The women along the walls simultaneously bowed. Her purple wall of fire parted, letting them through to a hidden elevator illuminated in acid green light. 

"Ah, that was fun." she said to Lail as the elevator hummed, this time downwards. "But now I must return to helping around the city, and watching for our elusive Shadow Triad. You know, not to brag - neeeever to brag - but I also won against them, of course, one on one. Our situations were vastly different, you see. I believe we should keep a score, next time either of us fights all three of them. Here is our floor."

An echoing ding.

\---

Zangoose pounced into the hot earth, sending charred rocks flying. Some landed into the pools of magma on either side. A Heatmor scurried away down the black path, diving into the magma with its legs flailing. 

Further into the volcano, ducking under a wall of solid rock, was a stone pedestal - gray marble, contrasting against the environment of disaster all around it. On it rested a long shard of glass in the shape of a feather. 

"It really exists...someone allowed any invader to have the power." sighed Kuro, approaching the pedestal. The bottoms of his black clothes had started to burn earlier - luckily, he had Pokemon with the power to help.

"I need to know. I need to know. I'm sorry, everyone." 

Zangoose crushed the glass feather. 


	14. Illiracy

Shrika and Lail entered the purple-shaded lobby. Despite the eerie tranquility of the gym, a plethora of murmurs outside made their way in. And they seemed to grow louder.

"Screaming. Not from my gym, unfortunately."

They both ran out into the streets, full with people who all widened their eyes in the same exact direction. Following the almost visible line of eyesight, Lail ended up staring at the figure of the volcano he saw looking around Endeima- except now it had a red top with smoke pumping out of it. 

The presence of the Champion and her trainees parted the flood of people rushing toward Palihan. 

"Endeima's Champion! Are you going to stop the eruption?!" "Please! It's going to bury our homes!" But she didn't part all of them, remaining rings of worriers swarming her. 

"Everyone!" cried Midori. "I am doing everything I can! Please evacuate immediately across Palihan so you can stay safe!"

Lail's left side suddenly felt empty; Shrika had already sped-walked halfway down the street, blue hair leaping.

"Midori. Why is Mount Kaurita, declared extinct, suddenly ready to erupt at any second??"

"I don't know! For the moment you and Lail just help people evac-"

Devin ran up to the group with Zinnia desperately zigzagging along a ways behind him. "Hey, Shrika. Remember when Chase made those dumb pagers for all of us? Look at it now."

Her hair wobbling, Shrika reached deep in her kimono and pulled out a low budget communicator. Every few seconds a green light flashed from its minuscule screen. "Oh wow..." The pager vanished back into the kimono's abyss. 

"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

"For someone serious as Chase willing to actually use this? Yeah. Midori...more great news. Someone most likely went into the completely off-limits volcano right before this."

"Dang!" chimed in Daggen. "That guy's gotta be that villain guy!"

"Yes...I too believe that particular person might of made the volcano go boom. And for Midori: do you still not know who Ghetsis Two is?"

"No..." Midori vigorously rubbed her face then looked away from everybody. "Yes. I do."

"'Yes'???"

"Yet none of you would know him. His name is Kuro, from Pithpy Village."

"Pithpy?" asked Devin. "I might've seen the name before..., but nuh-uh for the rest."

"It's a secluded village, deep in Bleeshadow. Almost no one leaves, since remaining secret is essentially their code."

Shrika squinted. "Normally people'd assume you knew because you were the Champion, yet it doesn't really work like that in Endeima, does it? Everyone here shares the same secrets and story."

"Except for the one about our past! Zinnia and Lail, by now you've heard multiple variants of some divine being, the being of light, of spirit, of whatever, hmm?"

"Y-yes," answered Zinnia. "Each one someone tells me leaves me even more confused..."

"The one riddle left unanswered: the true history of Endeima. That's what...Kuro and I tried to work out, together."

"Together??" asked a befuddled Shrika. "You knew the dude causing all of this?"

"We were both kids enjoying our lives in Pithpy, growing up hearing the beautiful tale of a beautiful creature spilling its spirit to shield us from the darkness. We also grew rebellious just like any other child. We would run away to Acufull, later to Vicecara, staying minutes to eventual hours. There we'd have adults telling us their own stories about Endeima. I thought, how could any of this be true? Kuro thought the same. Years added on contemplating if our mythical village was even the one in the right. And then, we decided as near adults, that we would search for the true history together. More years. Fruitless years. I wanted more in life, tired of the doubt, so I left him. Now he's suddenly emerged again, seeking it out with a new method. I saw him earlier tonight."

"Are you sure." rigidly answered Zinnia. "Are you absolutely sure Kuro is the culprit. Because from I saw, he never acted like a psychopath."

Lail relayed Kuro's speech in Bleeshadow to the group. Zinnia looked exasperated; Midori remained unsurprised.

"No!" exclaimed Zinnia incredulously. "One man shouldn't be able to cause all of this chaos. It shouldn't be allowed to keep happening in every region, especially since-" She stopped, catching her breath.

"You both knew too?" asked Devin. 

"Yes." cut in Midori, no joy remaining in her words. "I kept that secret with them." 

"I think," spoke up Reiah, "I've seen a mysterious guy around Endeima. In black clothes and always hanging in shadow; the man we saw in Unnacturne Forest. That's him. He's been around for a while. You lied! About _everything!_ You knew all along who this mysterious man, who this new villain, the villain you abandoned me for was! But then you told some passing trainers? Why even lie? Unless you had a part in this, too."

Midori had fully lost her elegant composure, gritting her teeth and clutching her hands until they turned pearly white. 

"Kuro has...lost his way. He became obsessed with the past. I was obsessed with moving on. Becoming Champion would mean a great deal for him. I still refuse to help Kuro...but during our search, we came across an ancient text, that detailed a method to unlocking the portal to the Spirit Realm. It required sacrificing something you love - your own region, by activating Mount Kaurita."

Shrika was sniggering. "Not only have you also hid a gateway of destruction, your partner was also stupid enough to fall for some old man's text. I can't believe how much you've hid from us. What else, Midori? _Midori!_ "

The Champion had sent out a translucent spirit of a horse with a flowing pale white mane. She and her pendant swung onto her Pokemon. 

"Midori!" Reiah ran in front of the horse. 

"I'm sorry." said Midori, not fully addressing anyone. The horse leapt high into the air and ran through it, floating. 

The rest of Passenity suddenly returned to reality with people cutting through the middle of the cluster Midori had formed.

"Ugh." said Shrika. "Devin, we need to help evacuate these people."

"Yeah. Stay safe, you guys." Both ran into the crowd, summoning their Pokemon to help wave arms toward the bridge and organizing the despaired hoard. 

"Reiah, what are _you_ doing?!" yelled Daggen. Reiah had also summoned a Pokemon, a large Grumpig with wings. 

"I'm going to stop that volcano." She kicked off the ground and flew over the townscape. 

"Howwwwwww? Lail, what am I supposed to do?" Daggen was still arching up at the night sky, shifting his weight to each foot.

"Hey, Lail." came Zinnia from his other side. "I want to stop Kuro. He has to still be near that volcano. So let's go there. Although..." she scanned the masses of people still trying to flee. "I think I need to help these people first. But you go, please. Stop him!"

The struggle to walk against the current became easier and easier as he reached the torii to leave the city. For a second he saw Kentu pass, ushering people out. He took the left path previously ignored, leading him to Celestiash Forest.

But the forest now showed itself in a new light. The clusters of black trunks stared at him. Wisps of color previously in clouds had parted, leaving only a few specks giving the trees any comfort. Smoke and orange light poured over the tips of the trees instead, making them look they like had burst into flame. 

The Pokemon in Lail's bag quivered, sharing his fear. A path to defeat the man who only showed him a glimpse of a dark side. And then...would a Pokemon battle simply be enough?

Red and orange flakes mixed with raining ash to create falling horror confetti...but Lail did not have time to gaze at the scenery, nor contemplate the dread that whirled around inside him. He wove through the maze of black bark, glancing often at the volcano, which loomed over the entire forest, ever so present and threatening to inch closer. 

He froze, listening to the violent rustling inside the trees beside him. The distorted sound of a revving car pierced the forest. Not again...not right now...

From the darkness emerged a purple eye, gazing into Lail's soul. It was attached, he saw three thumps of a Pokemon later, between the curved horns of a levitating beetle, sitting upright. In its body whistled a furnace, shaking as it burned...something. The smoke of it escaped through the beetle's horns. He didn't bother trying to comprehend the enemy. His hand automatically clasped his bag.

\---

_ Azteca Apocalypse Theme - Wizard101 _

_[Mount Kaurita threatens to erupt. Begins playing when Shrika and Lail exit the gym. It continues to play while roaming the right island of Endeima, with time frozen at night, people fleeing Passenity and smoke continuing to leave the volcano. On the left island, however, the music plays normally (I personally feel that tense themes get annoying when you're simply trying to grind before the next scene. The apocalypse theme doesn't stop on the right island until a certain scene inside the volcano.]_

_ You of the Dark - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[Plays when the player battles wild Pokemon or another trainer during the Azteca Apocalypse Theme.]_

_ Condemnation - Fire Emblem Fates _

_Illiracy's (the magic beetle) ability causes the clouds of smoke to begin raining acid. Not only that, it automatically sets a Psychic Terrain. Any physical attack against Illiracy causes the player's Pokemon to take some damage_

\---

Mount Kaurita's state only worsened. Screams down below answered the appearance of bright orange lava beginning to pour over the top. 

Reiah rode on Magipig to the top of the volcano, coughing into her dress that she wished wasn't so similar to Midori's. At the top, surprise struck her as she spotted another trainer, a small girl in yet another dress - this one silver and short - standing near the top. 

"Um, okay, how do we do this?" she was softly speaking to a floating Metagross in front of her, its four arms extended in the air.

Reiah skidded along the mountain after jumping off. "Who are you??"

"Oh! I'm Jasmine, but if you're here to help, please help! Metagross, use Psychic!" 

"R-right." Magipig hustled over to Reiah, already awaiting an order. "Magipig, Psychic as well!"

The early waves of lava froze in place, outlined in electric blue light.

\---

Illiracy. Lail caught the name on his Pokedex before throwing it in his bag two seconds later. Would these titans of Pokemon end? 

Footsteps quickly hurled his way. He let go of his Pokeball as he saw a woman and her child run past him. "What are you doing walking closer to it?" gasped the woman to Lail. She didn't wait for an answer, weaving herself into Celestiash's maze. 

He left the forest, crossing over into a small village, that he thought would've been calming if not for the volcano only a short walk away behind its left side. 

Some people remained in the village, clutching praying hands to their chest or pulling at their heads, all while staring endlessly at the erupting volcano. Yet the lava at the top refused to drip any further...

"The being is protecting us! Look, its stopping the eruption!" cried one villager. "Nonsense! The being has parted us; this is the end." "My son! Where did he flee to?? We should've already left." "The darkness approaches...we should never have believed in spirit." cried others. 

A slope carved from the black rock of Mount Kaurita awaited him. He ignored the village, crossing through onto it, until an old man with a bad arm rushed to block him. 

"Stooop! No one passes."

Lail ducked to the side and walked ahead, but the old man used every fiber in his body to beat him there. "The last person, only an hour ago, broke my arm coming in here! I do not trust a single one of you. The gym leader here is already taking care of it, too. Get out!"

Aster jutted in between Lail and the elder. 

"Let him pass." Zinnia ran up beside Lail. 

"I said _none_ of you are passing! I will protect the ways of my ancestors with all my might." The old man himself pulled out a Pokeball, unleashing a Tyranitar.

"No way... you've got to stop giving blind faith to your tribe. In the end it's all ridiculousness. You go on, Lail. I'll deal with the Lorekeeper." Aster and Tyranitar clashed into each other. Lail hiked up the volcano's slope.

\---

Midori's cut feet swished along the forest's floor, stepping over branches and mystically shaped leaves. Roriglade huffed alongside her as its front feet landed with each bounce. The Champion stopped, her view ahead clear of trees. Her eyes reflected the distant volcano across the water. 

Her leaf shaped pendant began to glow, exuding green light. Snapping it off of her necklace, she held it close to her heart. "I know you haven't always been there for me, and I haven't always been there for you." she spoke into it. Her eyes narrowed at Mount Kaurita. "But this isn't for me this time."

She threw her arm out, the pendant in her hand aimed at the destruction. It continued to glow, now even brighter. Midori and Roriglade remained silent, their leaves and bodies lightly moving from the breeze.

\---

Sweat dripped from the tips of his hair. He continued down a winding bowling lane with magma for gutters. It felt like traversing one room after another, areas of the volcanoes surrounded by walls decorated by patterns of searing liquid. 

Time slowed down inside this volcano - that was Lail's only explanation for the amount of space on the inside he sweat through. Up and down the highways, into the naturally lit tunnels, around the steep switchbacks. The main pit, the one that would rise up to the tippity top, must have been somewhere else inside this rock. 

Wild Pokemon relentlessly attacked him as he continued down the lower levels, a long squirrel with a skull-crushing tail just one of the bunch. Not one other person crossed him.

But then the volcano performed another bizarre act. Lail kept his place, watching chunks of rock in the magma begin to swim uphill; black haze above the rivers sunk back inside them. Rumbling occurred overhead in patterns unfamiliar. The levels of the gutters swished then lowered. Lail's burden of scorching heat lessened. 

Now Mount Kaurita made almost no noise at all. A young guy with dirty blonde hair and a sky blue athletic shirt jogged up behind him. 

"What are you doing here?! This volcano is off-limits, to _everyone_."

Lail tried to explain himself in the shortest amount of time possible. 

"You know the man behind this? And the Spirit Realm...makes sense. Although I highly doubt causing the volcano to erupt is the true way to enter it. Yet someone long ago did place some powerful glass feather in here that allows the volcano to collapse at any second. Why I made here off-limits. And *sigh* it's somehow resting back on the pedestal. 

"The volcano is back to normal from the looks of it - no idea how. I'm returning to the village and you're following me."

\---

_ Past Light (Storm) - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[The theme for the inside of Mount Kaurita, playing even during the tense moment as the Apocalypse Theme plays outside. Still plays this theme when the player can return later.]_

\---

The blonde man, both back into the smoky air, raised a bent right arm. A massive Pidgeot flew up to his location and he jumped on. "I need to talk to my village. If I catch you back inside- don't let me catch you back inside." Pidgeot dove down. 

Aster attempted to grin as Lail stopped himself from sliding back down the slope. Wings of a Salamence menacingly whooshed up and down on Zinnia's other side. It focused a gaze on the elder devoted to his blockade, who now hunched close to the ground, humbled by giants. 

"More to not understand," Zinnia said to Lail. "One second the volcano's erupting; the next it's dormant.

"Oh! Say hi to Salamence - I needed some extra persuasion." She ran a hand along the blue back of the dragon.

She shifted her head to the blonde man walking through the village beside them. "Is that Chase? We should ask him about Kuro, but give me a moment."

Lail crossed through the sandy ground to Chase. It formed an oval, with shaggy houses leaning on the yellow, crunchy grass surrounding the bare earth and its branching trails. A couple windmills spun silently. 

The old man looked up at Zinnia. "The amount of detail in your words, you still sound fond of your own tribe."

Zinnia grimaced. "No. I absolutely hate it. But it formed my entire life; how can I forget it?"

Chase gestured to groups of passing or running up to him, spinning his head as the last one left, alerted to Lail's presence. "Besides a rule-breaker, who exactly are you?" he asked sternly.

"One of the challengers to your gym." replied Zinnia, walking up with Aster, Salamence returned. "Although we got caught up in this mess."

"How so."

"Do you know a man named Kuro?"

"I do not, but I can ask the village elders."

"Trust me. If you don't know, they won't. But Kuro is the man who went into that volcano."

"And how do you know him?"

"We met him in Unnacturne Forest. The Champion is the one who really knows him."

"The...Champion?"

"Yeah. Lail and I are having a difficult time processing it too. In short, Kuro is trying to open the...you all call it the Spirit Realm."

Chase rubbed his chin. "Sandsaahi is claimed to be the entrance to it, which is why the majority of its population are focused on spiritualism."

"How is Kuro going to enter it?"

"Ha. That's the thing. No one knows. But if Kuro wants to try, he'll need to come back. All we can do in the meantime is wait. Lail, you're a challenger? How's this: beat me in my gym battle, and I'll no longer worry about you wandering the village, because Endeima will have someone fighting for it."

"I'll keep watch." said Zinnia. "Oh yeah, how did the volcano stop?"

"People here tell me they saw the lava sink back inside-"

"Like it reversed? But only for Mount Kaurita?" Zinnia emitted a mix of a sigh and a laugh. "Nothing else makes sense either."

"The elders will come up with their own stories within the day. Until then... whenever you're ready, Lail. I'm not holding back." Chase entered his own gym, the biggest building in the village by far, yet still built with the village's wood. 

"Good luck again." Zinnia formed a small smile for Lail. "Even with disaster happening, it's amazing how life continues."


	15. Arkflux

The sudden influx of peace allowed Lail to rest for a little bit, relaxing inside the house of elders and shamans. Enough crafts and books lined the houses to fill his satisfaction for a lifetime. He soon ventured out into the yellow plains of Sandsaahi. 

Trees, jade green, surrounded the village but not until a good ways back. One certain path in the north led to the unknown, with a cliff faintly towering in the background. 

As day finally crept into the sky with a pale blue line, Lail decided to bother with the wild Pokemon. A pinkish Kangaskahn tried to attack him- no, a Kangaskhid, he saw on Spruce's Pokedex, noted as a pre-evolution. 

"Kangaskhid, the Offspring Pokemon," read his Pokedex. "Born weaker than females, males tend to leave or pass away after their child appears. The females evolve to Kangaskhan when they fully accept motherhood." 

Well, this male sure had a lot of fight still in it. Other Pokemon in the plains included the volcanic squirrel Lail encountered earlier - Terrmot - as well as Pupitar, Shuckle, and Chimecho, to name a few. He also came face to face with a strange creature, the figurehead of an old boat modeled after a horse with an unfinished wooden outline. Attached to it were archaic Da Vinci wings, allowing it to fully fly. An Arkflux.

Lail noticed the size difference of the islands, the right significantly smaller than the already small left. He greeted cliff edges on either side of the village, dotted with only a few trees blocking the sea breeze. 

Time pushed on, suggesting to Lail that he should challenge the gym soon. He found himself standing in front of the doors struggling to be modern. He pushed them aside. 

A vast rectangular prism full of negative space greeted him, and so did a nonstop gust of wind. Embedded inside the walls churned giant fans, twisters of cool air reaching from one side of the room to the other. Also stuck to the walls, or resting on extremely long and skinny wooden poles, were grated platforms of different colors. Flying-type Pokemon patiently perched on the edges, three of them on each platform. 

"Howdy, my name is Gym! That's right! G-y-m! Looks like you're going to challenge the Sandsaahi Town Gym!" exclaimed the usual suspiciously familiar man at the entrance. "To proceed, choose one of the majestic birds sitting in front of you! Each one has a unique path that it takes, and good luck if you try to persuade the Pokemon to tell you its path, gah-hah! Choose your feather."

Sucking in his chest, Lail got on the middle Pokemon - a Fearow. It flew under and over, eventually landing on a higher platform and leaving him to choose again out of a Skarmory, Staraptor and Braviary. Many counts of good luck and bad luck later, a bird landed him on the center platform, obviously the gym leader's from the totems and extravagance, except the gym leader was missing from it. 

Harsh flapping made him focus on a Pidgeot flying toward him. Chase jumped off onto the stage, Pidgeot elegantly landing behind him. 

A finger from a finger-less glove flung out at Lail. "Prove to me that you're willing to stop evil, that you're willing to delve into the Spirit Realm or whatever other hurdles Endeima lays out for you." declared Chase. "In your path to reach me, you had nothing to rely on but chance. For this gym battle, you have your experience and determination. Such is the path of our soul, wandering aimlessly until our purpose comes to light. Show it to me!"

\---

_ Premonition - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[The theme for Sandsaahi Town. Quiet and humble.]_

_ Driver VS - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[Chase throws out his hand, then calls Pidgeot, who swoops in front of him to begin the battle. Chase uses all Premier Balls.]_

_Pokemon Chase uses: Pidgeot, Aerodactyl, Rendibirb, Distortot, Arkflux_

\---

Lail had to battle through five ferocious flying Pokemon, the last one another Arkflux, the most challenging. When defeated, it sunk to the ground with its wings close to its body. 

Chase kept a serious face. "You've passed. Here is the Skybreak Badge as proof, as well as the TM for Roost, a move that allows Flying-type Pokemon to heal themselves. But maybe you already knew that. You carry lots of experience."

He looked beyond Lail, toward the gym's entrance. "Getting into the Spirit Realm... all the elders constantly assure me its possible, yet since when have they done it? I will remain vigilant. Just as you should."

Lail reemerged into the village, snapping the dried grass under him. The sun above spread joy along the houses and windmills. Crunching from elsewhere sounded; Zinnia was rushing up to him.

"Lail! I saw him walking by. Kuro's here."


	16. Sombrowl

Lail sprinted along a side path leading to the edge of the island. The sand ended in a small circle, full of broken twigs and dead blades of grass. Kuro stood like a statue, staring out at nothing. The only points of interest were a couple lonely trees and the ocean hopefully stretching to the other regions. Lail saw, on the back of his head, white hair refusing to move with the wind.

One of the branches snapped under Lail's shoe.

"I said next time we'd meet it wouldn't play out so well. I never wanted to meet you again! I wanted you to stay away from me!" desperately grunted Kuro from over his shoulder. 

"Stop!" Zinnia scraped along the sand behind Lail. Three Shadows snapped into existence around her, three Bisharp even closer. Her teeth clenched; Aster and Salamence slid out of her bag and blocked metal blades with moves of their own. 

As that fight progressed, Kuro spoke again. "I need to know. No one has to know there is any danger this time. I need to know. Invigorate everyone into living better lives. I need to know if it's possible. It has to be."

He moved now, turning around with different eyes. "A region that doesn't even know its own past, that forgoes responsibility to adopt a meaningless life. I refuse to be a part of that any longer. I'm going into the Spirit Realm, awakening the divine being that can help, help me, help everyone." 

Lail's hand had run into his pocket. He didn't particularly understand anything about Kuro. But if this man was capable of erupting a volcano, then maybe stopping him would...

"Are you trying to stop me? What will you do if you win? But...maybe losing or winning can give me insight. That's what you want. I'll battle." Kuro tried to pull down a hat that no longer existed on his head. 

\---

_ A Dark Fall (Fire) - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[The screen shatters, and the pieces are quickly blown away. Kuro stands with his hand and Pokeball covering his head. He turns around and throws it.]_

_Pokemon Kuro uses: Spiritomb, Armaldo, Stronger Starter*, Panthurn, Zangoose_

\---

Kuro stood silently. His defeated Zangoose regained composure, and sent a powerful Thunder Wave into the ground. Lail flew backwards into the sand, feeling it filling his clothes. 

The man before him took a step toward the nothing. His pale gray eyes stared ahead lifelessly as he continued forward, their pupils dilated.

"The volcano...how naive of me. How naive of them! And they never thought of a way to enter the Spirit Realm. Well I know now. A reason. Endeima's always been peaceful; nothing happens here except in the corrupted legends. No one's needed to enter the Spirit Realm until today. My reason is to save Endeima; theirs was to simply see if such a place existed."

He raised Naosu's Quill into the sky. 

Compacted, ghostly blue light shined ahead of him in the shape of a mirror, a doorway standing on the village's ground. Sand and branches kicked up as Kuro and his Zangoose jumped through. 

Lail brushed himself off, taking in a deep breath upon seeing the light already disappearing, shrinking away. Determination circulated through his veins. He needed to stop Kuro. He needed to do something for the real world.

He took out the Azure Feather that Midori entrusted upon him and, too, held it up. The mirror of light returned. Lail took a running start through it. 

\---

Dark green grass. Endless grass.

No, just a clearing. Of another forest.

Yet, this one was vastly different. The disorienting sky...as if a crystal clear sky somehow turned gray - one continuous, endless cloud. 

Lines of domed trees on all four sides, with some openings on his left and right, leading to mazes. The trees look painted. Walking forward, or walking further away, they never came into focus. They remained hazy, also disorienting, wobbling back and forth, dancing on a watercolored canvas. 

No Kuro. Anywhere. Lail picked himself off the grass. The grass itself also had taller patches, containing Pokemon: a spirit horse - Enigmare, the mount of Midori's getaway. Shedinja, too - a couple floated along the roof of the forest, with no particular destination in sight. 

A slight haze - no, just pure light - filled the aisles of clear forest. A pale blue light. He wove around, constantly changing directions, enduring endless borders of trees. 

But it was strangely peaceful the entire time.

Another corner turned; Lail strolled down a straight path until he met a blockage: a giant spider web stretching from left tree to right tree. The strands glimmered in a pretty blue light, and drops of dew on the web looked like stars. Where was the spider, though?

As if answering his thoughts, the spider the size of a cat crept from the tops of the trees, down the wavy leaves, onto its web. When its purple and yellow striped legs touched it, the web began swirling. Extra colors and shapes emerged; Lail was now watching a galaxy spin. 

The abdomen of the spider looked like a planet: a dark gray sphere, even with craters and light only shining on one end. The black head stared at Lail, with two large purple and yellow eyes also swirling. The fangs appeared normal... was it smiling?

It crawled to the center of the web, additional stars popping up on its galaxy, some blinking in green and red, maybe even other colors. It looked up at Lail. The galaxy burst into colors-extravaganza, constellations and planets inside it all highlighted beautifully. It was telling a message in a very special way. Lail somehow understood it.

Holding out his hands, he slowly approached the spider. Eyes still swirling it glanced down at them, then back up at Lail, smiling again. Striped legs began to crawl onto Lail's hands, then he picked the spider up in his arms. 

He analyzed it closely. Warmness filled his body as he continued to stare into those weird eyes. Then the spider nodded; Lail rummaged inside his bag while the spider smiled, tucked inside a bent arm; he softly poked it with a Pokeball. It jumped inside with red light, part of Lail's party. 

\---

_ In the Deep and Peaceful Brush - Tales of Vesperia _

_[The theme for the Spirit Realm. The screen would almost have a pale blue tint to it. The trees literally sway in different directions and look vastly different artistically to the previous trees you've imagined. And now you travel through this odd forest, alone yet at peace...]_

\---

Zinnia paced around the circle of sand. 

"Are you going to be okay?" asked Chase.

"Yes, I'll be fine. Thank you, again, for the help."

Chase returned to the village.

The Shadow Triad had vanished after the last Pokemon dropped. She kept pacing by herself, waiting for Lail to reappear, if that was how the Spirit Realm even worked. Aster kept her company.

Grass crunched; Midori was walking toward her.

"Midori??"

The Champion stopped in the middle of the circle. "So they both went in...I wonder if they've already met the divine being."

"Have you crossed the portal before??" gasped Zinnia.

"Hmm? No. I've never been in the Spirit Realm."

"Then how do you know about that? About here?"

"We learned that as kids. Everything he knows, I know..."

"Oh. Lail...will he be alright?"

"Yes." Midori unclutched her pendant.

"How are you so sure? About everything?"

"Not everything... there's this drive inside of me that's been correct so far. For me personally, I just try to stay faithful."

"Faithful. But, why did you run away in Passenity? Kuro isn't your fault."

"I lied. And I'll continue to lie. I broke Reiah's ability to trust. I can't pretend anymore, that I'm a better person."

"I think you should've stayed. Talked it out. People _will_ hate you if you never explain your actions. You knew Kuro as a child? So what?"

"It's that I knew what he knew. But I didn't want Endeima to worry, nor did I want to believe he'd carry through with his plan."

Zinnia put her hands on her hips and stared ahead, smiling. "I think...he believes he's in the right. The rest of his region never responded with action to the spreading darkness. He thinks, in that aspect, it failed him. But it didn't - one of its trainers is fighting right now. Ironically against him."

Midori responded also with a smile, but it quickly faltered. "What do I even say to everyone? To Reiah? I messed up in even more ways than you can imagine."

"You need to look inside your soul. As a Loremaster that's not one of my best lines of advice, but I'm still trying to think about my own actions."

"A- Loremaster?? Hmm."

They continued to stand awkwardly, waiting.

\---

Gazing out at the forest, he noticed the web had vanished. He pressed on through the rest of the path. Eventually, Lail reached a long square clearing. Kuro, in the middle, stared fascinated at a border made of stone - a second empty portal. 

Zangoose appeared behind Lail, instantaneously holding him captive with one claw covering his arms. 

Kuro raised the quill a second time. "Come already! Prove to me you're alive!"

Blue light filled the stone border, bringing forth a second shimmering mirror. 

The divine being...Lail heard so many stories about it. Which one would be the real one? A being of spirit, one who mercifully sacrificed itself to build the place he currently brushed the grass in? Maybe something else? It never actually had a name. This legendary of light stayed behind the same thick fog of mystery as the rest of its region. Or Kuro was right: it would spread some unknown power, fixing the darkness he also had yet to understand.

Thunder crashed from above. Lail craned his neck, meeting a dark gray, endless storm full of lightning. The mirror began filling with swirling fog, turning gray. Kuro slowly stepped back.

Another crash. Out of the portal began emerging a giant pair of black wings. Then a face sending chills down Lail's face, because the face was a flat, white mask, with menacing holes for eyes and a hooked indent for a long beak. The rest of this black owl crawled out, revealing a triangular tail stabbed with a myriad of swords and knives. 

"Are you the being? No! You're nothing but darkness!" yelled Kuro. 

The owl abruptly sprang into the air, its deadly talons cutting into the earth as it slammed onto the ground on Kuro's other side. Then with a sharp spread of its wings, a strong gust of wind blew Kuro into the portal. The gray mirror shrunk. 

Without looking back at Kuro, the owl shot into the sky, disappearing in a bundle of lightning and thunder. Lail felt Zangoose's arm retract as it ran to the stone border, beginning to cry for its owner. 

Lail's own feather did not work on the portal, as he feverishly raised it over and over again to light it up. He stuffed the feather back, thinking how to save Kuro, even save Endeima, if this bird had the malicious intent he assumed it did.

More happened on his body: his bag began to shake, one of the Pokeballs springing open to reveal the spider smiling on the grass.

And then it began evolving, wrapped inside a cocoon of light. 

A spider in armor for a horse, its head and neck even shaped like a horse, grunted in front of Lail. The long neck encased in silver ended in a long body with six insect legs. The front two legs emerged from the chest, the backsides of them extending in the skinny shape of a javelin. Four sets of red eyes rested inside oval-shaped holes. 

The spider-horse-gladiator stared deeply into Lail's soul, kneeling its front half into the grass so Lail could quickly jump on. Before he could adjust himself, the gladiator threw its head back, flinging Lail forward. 

It began to rush through the forest directly into the heart of trees. Lail instinctively held arms up to shield himself from whizzing branches, but he soon found out he didn't have to. The trees jumped out of the way for the spider. It passed through, impervious to any obstacle. Rocks bent and ducked; fallen logs distorted and rolled away. They broke into the clearing Lail started at; the gladiator roared and the mirror to return appeared. It sprinted into it, losing no speed. 

\---

Screams passed down Vicecara. Amber peeked out of her gym. It was midday, yet it looked like night due to black clouds covering the entire city, white lightning filling their crevices. The city itself looked darker too, buildings blackened and sorrowful. 

Some bird out of a horror novel quickly flashed over the city. Screams underneath its black feathers and tail impaled with knives worsened; Amber watched the city worsen even further following the bird's trail. Plants on windowsills wilted; people began keeling over, weak and sick. 

Just in a few seconds time, the giant bird flew to the top of one of the mountains in the Crystal Summits, uncaring of the city it just ruined. Amber strode back into her gym, smashing her floor of ice and throwing the chunks into a bucket. Siracle had come out to watch. She took a stack of towels from the back and started tying them around the ice. 

\---

Midori and Zinnia's clothes rippled as they watched a bizarre creature whiz past. The mirror shrunk once again.

"What is that??" Zinnia gawked at the spider-like Pokemon with lances as front arms and armor covering a centipede-like back. Before she could even take it all in, the Pokemon already ran past Sandsaahi. 

"Arachnus," answered Midori. "A self-imposed guardian, protecting ancient castles - even our haunted manor on Endeima at once point - and jumping from one region to the next, battling against dark forces. Seems like it's now chosen Lail."

Zinnia stared at Midori, intrigued. The Champion stared at the mass of thunder clouds across the sea. "And Sombrowl, a being of pure darkness, ruler of the clouds and misfortune. Yet, it lives without a clear purpose. Perhaps that's why the divine being decided to seal it away with them. But it's escaped..."

The village buzzed with noise from people leaving their houses, following the sound of thunder. What a sudden burst of deja vu.... Zinnia desperately wanted to ask how Midori could possibly know these Pokemon, but other pressing matters took priority. "Shouldn't we do something? It's wreaking havoc over there."

A small smile. "Lail has it under control. Arachnus knows exactly what to do, and therefore so does he."

Lail's thoughts flew through his head, wondering if Palihan would withstand the weight of Arachnus. But the clattering spider legs did not turn into Celestiash; they kept galloping straight ahead, toward the center sea. 

He started to kick Arachnus's sides, but instead switched to inhaling as much air as he could. 

Arachnus reached the cliff's edge and jumped down onto the jutting rocks, bending to make a smooth path. 

It touched the water. The sea parted. Arachnus dashed along the exposed sea floor while walls of water flowed upwards, the path ahead spotless. 

Then the gladiator hurdled onto the rocks on the other side, running through a bending and twisting Unnacturne Forest to reach Vicecara City. Lail didn't have to wonder this time where Arachnus was going, with white lightning wrapping around Crystal Summits's mountains. 

Spider legs cracked into the mountainside, Arachnus running up the tallest one to the top. A swirling mass of black fog awaited them, suddenly clearing with a flap of Sombrowl's wings, the creepy white mask staring at Lail and his Pokemon. 

Arachnus roared and reared back, purposefully throwing Lail off to charge ahead with its lances. Sombrowl, with a single flap, bolted into the air to dodge and sent down a massive Thunder. The spider leapt back, digging its legs along the rock for another attack. It grunted back at Lail, calling him to battle.

\---

_ King's Row - Overwatch _

_[In the first half, Sombrowl escapes the portal. In the second half, Verspin evolves and runs through the portal to leave.]_

_ Situation Critical - Overwatch _

_[All the events unfolding due to Sombrowl's escape. Ends when the battle with it starts.]_

_ A Dark Fall - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[Sombrowl immediately shrouds itself in a white aura, preventing it from being caught. Any Pokeballs thrown at it bounce off. The aura also raises its attack. Watch out! Instead of fainting at the end, the screen just fades and goes back to the cutscene.]_

\---

Sombrowl shook itself off with its wings. Arachnus detached its lances, sending them rocketing at the owl. It only took one more flap of the wings for the lance's recipient to speed away, flying back into the clouds above and disappearing. 

The gladiator grunted, raging in place while it waited for its front arms to reverse through the air, snapping back into place. Then it scooped up Lail and backtracked across the parted sea. 


	17. Arachnus

Lail's gladiator halted in front of Midori and Zinnia. It lightly bowed to the Champion, grunting as it did so. 

"Congratulations," smiled Midori, although distantly as she noticed Lail's face. "Sombrowl fled. Was it the source of the darkness? We shall see, won't we, Arachnus?"

Arachnus grunted again.

Twinkles emanated from Zinnia's eyes. "One of Endeima's legendaries...I doubted I would ever meet one. But it's journey isn't over..." She sighed. "Good luck, Lail."

One soft roar later into the portal. 

\---

They wandered side by side back through the Spirit Realm, Lail listening to the clackety-clacking of Arachnus's legs echoing throughout the painted clearing of the forest. Zangoose's ears twitched, looking away from the empty border of stone. It stepped off to the side, patiently waiting for Lail and the Pokemon to get closer. 

Arachnus roared; the mirror shimmered back to life. Zangoose immediately jumped inside. Lail was nudged into it shortly after. A portal within a portal...led by a spider gladiator after fighting a shadowy owl...

.

.

Everything around him went dark for a split second. Then the blackness ahead rippled and faded, water dripping away into a sea of nothing. The inside of a circular cave came into focus: the right side of it curled up with a slope, creating a cliff looking down at the leveled left. 

Zangoose dashed and leapt into the arms of Kuro, standing at the top. 

"I tried leaving with my feather, but the portal won't let me leave. There's not much to do here after a while." monologued Kuro. "Quite lonely too. But now Zangoose is with me again. It would be rude not to say thank you."

He stared emptily at the expanse of brown rock below them. "I prayed and prayed that the being would come. With the feather, with waiting, not the slightest faint of it has appeared. Funny, in a way. That's all I wanted to do, to ask it to bring peace to the world; now it might not ever happen.

"After being blown into here - no way out - different feelings overcame me. I realized, somehow, a different phenomenon took hold of me. But... my hatred already started long before. I'm the one to blame. I- I don't know anymore. I'm considering the possibility such a being of light never existed."

Arachnus snorted and stepped in between the men. It gazed deeply into Kuro. 

"You trust me?" gasped Kuro. 

Lail had understood too. Together they all hiked to the the tallest point, Zangoose walking off to the side, Arachnus stepping back a bit, allowing the two to stare off the cliff, shoes threatening to cross bend over to the drop below.

"Calling the divine being...why does the guardian allow it?" Kuro nodded to Lail. "The result most likely won't be what I desired. Let us see what _it_ proposes for the world."

Arachnus opened its gruesome jaw, throwing out a earth-quaking roar; Kuro and Lail raised both of their feathers into the air. A second later, and a bright blue halo shined over them.

A circular pool of water suddenly appeared on the floor of the cave, white tips of waves churning around and colliding like a stormy sea. From it, with a plethora of ripples, broke out a giant white bird, flying up as water dripped from it, sparkling. The bird continued to spiral upwards, trails of water swirling with it- it stopped and spread its wings and the water splashed away, droplets sticking in the air like a suspended rainfall. 

Lail somehow recognized this bird; in fact, he had seen it, from the tales of his peers to the illustrations in books.

Lugia.

They opened their mouth slightly, and a voice - a soothing, deep voice of a man - crossed through Lail's head:

"I know why you have summoned me. I've watched, from afar, but close enough to still feel your souls. You, however, must have a lot of questions for me."

"You can talk?" asked Kuro, dumbfounded. Lail felt the same. Arachnus bowed.

"Yes."

"You're Lugia, the legendary of Johto...yet you're here, in Endeima."

Lugia rested their eyes for a moment, then answered: "Yes... the 'Guardian of the Seas.'"

"Then how are you _the_ divine being? Nothing has ever looked like you! How are you in two different regions at once!?"

"While I cannot enter Endeima, my spirit can. The rest of my answer you will find out soon."

"Your 'spirit.'"

"Yes, my spirit. It had left me once, and grew weak. I found myself on the ocean floor, also dying, until a portal took me here. The Spirit Realm, I thought, must be in Endeima. But it's not as physical as you would like."

"Can you leave here?"

"After I healed, I always could."

"Then, why didn't you? Years ago? Now???"

"My spirit trapped Sombrowl, the bird of Endeima, here many years back. To hide me, or simply let me heal, a dimension of water contained me."

"Sombrowl... the awful owl we encountered just before..."

"Yet, like the other dastardly Pokemon wandering throughout, it serves a purpose. Controlling your clouds, containing your darkness, although the true purpose I have yet to figure out myself. A Pokemon that purposefully hides itself, not wanting to be known..."

"That's quite like you, no?" sternly asked Kuro.

Lail could've sworn the giant, legendary bird chuckled...somehow.

And then they continued: "With years to reflect on myself...yes, I noticed the similarities. Since my spirit lies in Endeima, maybe it's not so coincidental. As for reflecting, that brings me to my second reason for staying: hearing why someone would want to come back for me. So why do you, Kuro?"

For a split second, Kuro's eyebrows raised at the call of his name. Then he dismissed it; like Lail, both had gotten used to the foreknowledge. Kuro sighed, and opened his eyes again with more light shining off of them than ever. 

"The real Endeima died long ago. The region we live on is nothing but a spirit, something that was once something. It doesn't have a resting place to drift off to. It's from a body still part of the real world. Still clinging to the past life. Nowhere in the future to go." 

"Do you think that's like you, Kuro?"

"Heh. I do. I was...consumed with the determination to figure out anything in my world. I lost my old self, my morals, along the way, but- I don't think I can ever get them back. It's a tainted part of me."

Lugia amusingly closed their eyes. "Miscalculated actions and choices we regret stay embedded in our souls, for as long as we live. But these dilemmas, when we are at the darkest points in our lives, let us contrast the past fool with our present self. We can begin to amend and work so that we feel satisfied, that we are more complete that we ever could have been without our mistakes. No doubt we've grown, and look at how much we respect we've earned for ourselves."

"I still hate myself." answered Kuro.

"Are you sure? Or do you hate your decisions?"

"They're not different. I made those decisions, to activate Mount Kaurita, to allow the Shadow Triad to follow, to call you because of how I already am."

"People will make mistakes as long as time ticks, giving into pressure and the expectations around them - committing to war, stealing food and money-"

"I was _always_ in my right mind! Whatever overcame me before I entered your realm did it too late to peel off my guilt."

"Sombrowl is the one who latched onto you. It sensed someone with similar goals for Endeima. But did I also not say Sombrowl is not simply a mass of shadow. It has purposes based on the good-"

"Wrong!" Zangoose's ears flipped behind its head. "All it wanted was chaos."

"The trainer beside you and Arachnus sent it away after it affected a city, yes. Was the harm intentional? Did it persist? I know how being contained, scared, and weak feels."

Kuro stayed silent, looking down.

"All of us never stay innocent and pure. The others here already know. Your partner, Midori, decided to flee instead of comforti-"

"Midori is far better a person than me! She's light while I'm the darkness Sombrowl thinks I am. If you claim she does bad and I do good, it's only because the universe will correct itself soon."

"Light and darkness are never separate. The universe itself is gray; _I_ am gray. After the choices you've made, do you regret it?"

Lugia squinted their eyes at Kuro, who continued to avoid eye contact, conflicted. "Since you've come, I watched a man wrapped with guilt, constantly concerned for the state of others and his home.

"That is the origin for your quest, is it not?" they added.

"That's right." said Kuro, back to staring with bright eyes. "I wanted to protect my home."

"And how interesting that your heart so quickly became one with it. Because Kuro - you're not originally from Endeima, are you?"

"No. A twelve year long nightmare in Johto...I wanted out. I crossed the stormy sea myself in a small boat; the storm worsened the closer I felt to anything, and then the waves consumed me. But a large black bird - a Stealthjay, I would learn - found me drowning and bared the storm to bring me to its homeland. When I saw that creature escaping the portal, I was reminded of that Pokemon. 

"I ran away from the city the bird led me to, into the forest.... In Pithpy I met Midori, who lived there all her life and grew a fast bond. We agreed that together, we would rid the world of its ugliness. But it seems both of us lost our way. But you already knew all of that."

"I did, but finding the answers within yourself is part of growing. A home... even I struggle with what it can mean. Where the spirit rests, where the mind begs to stay, where others keep your memory. Can we forget it when we have to leave? Can we forge a new one? When we don't have one, that's when the spirit aimlessly wanders.... My current answer to it is that the home we're given birth in does not always accept us. What we choose as our home is _always_ up to us."

So Kuro also came from Johto. In the years before Lail arrived, he managed to form a bond like any other Endeinan. Lail started out hating the region. Now he had his Pokemon, others...

"Have you realized?" asked Lugia to Lail, slightly jumping at the words. "The journey you took to reach me was created by you. Pursuing Kuro, going after Sombrowl - Arachnus merely acted as your companion. Are you finally at home with your nation?"

Maybe he finally was. 

Kuro pondered for a moment. "You said earlier, that you were wondering why someone would come back for you. Why did you doubt that?"

"I've also made mistakes I cannot retract. I saved the people of Endeima centuries ago, then I left them for good. I never made sure all the problems went away. I fled, afraid to face anything else. I listened to the spites against me during tough times, thinking that could be my punishment. But I never fixed those problems. Sombrowl became more frantic; the skies and darkness began reflecting that, even from in here. Should I have let them go? Maybe so."

"The people never acted either. They caused their own problems." commented Kuro.

"So why did you want to save them? Centuries never granted me the clear-cut answer I wanted either." Lugia gazed wishfully at the top of the cave. "Perhaps it's time I try to mend the world again."

"How will you touch Endeima?"

"My spirit can."

"You made them sound like it was separate!"

"In the water, my spirit rejoined me. We became one inside the Spirit Realm, resting for centuries. Falsely pure and whole. But now it must come out."

"How can that even- wait! Stop!!" 

Kuro shielded his face with his arm as a wide flap from Lugia blasted dirt and air into his eyes. Lail struggled to see as well, squinting at the white figure rising to the cave's ceiling. 

Then without warning or time to speak, Lugia bulleted to the ground. They clenched their eyes and almost looked happy.

The legendary crashed into the floor, clouds of dust rising up to the cliff the trainers stood on. They cleared, showing Lugia laying on the floor, motionless. Sounds of sparks and life interrupted the silence; incredibly bright, translucent wings emerged from the white body. They flapped soundlessly and pulled up the rest of the spirit, who flew to the cliff's edge.

Lail gaped at a see-through, pale blue Lugia. Its silver body reflected the light from the rest of its body like a mirror. Mirrors also stuck out of its back instead of the navy blue fins. And features of it looked like a dragon. He was staring at a spirit halfway resembling the legendary previously floating in the same spot.

"I am Erisegia." sounded the spirit dragon. "Perhaps it is destiny to be separated. Return to Upekkha, Lail, when you are ready. I must now fade as Endeima calls."

They spun around then shot through the cave like a ghost. 

Mothers in Acufull, sick in Vicecara, clerks in Verudia, families in Pithpy, trainers in Passenity, and elders in Sandsaahi did not notice the legendary gaining light - white light, the light of the moon, still bright enough to sear eyes. 

The bird of light stayed in the sky of the Spirit Realm, stretching out its arms, welcoming the sky and the region of Endeima, however far away it would've felt. 

The bird grew a ring of light around it, then more rings - more rings, all sucking into the moon. One final halo stayed, equally as bright. Then the light spread with a boom. It covered the grounds with the speed of light. It burst out the portal. Some people, a lost trainer and a Champion, maybe a few others looking at the ground in defeat, saw the whiteness flash under their feet, just long enough to register it in their minds. Dark clouds with lightning over Vicecara blew away. Somewhere in the sky a dark owl cried in pain but continued to fly. The mist lessened a little. The storm never settled, but it didn't need to. 

Life never paused.

\---

_ Homesick (Dark) - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[The Spirit Realm's theme fades as the player enters the portal within the portal. This leads to a cave first called "???" then later, after this, "Upekkah."]_

_ But the Earth Refused to Die - Undertale _

_[Plays as Lugia appears from the water and ends when they begin to talk, switching back to Homesick.]_

_ Aaron 1 - Lucario and the Mystery of Mew _

_[Lugia begins to fly up. Erisegia appears and unleashes its light.]_

\---

A bright whirlpool sucked in Lugia's body then shrunk away, leaving the cave floor empty. 

"So the name of our divine being was Erisegia..." said Kuro, still staring off the cliff. "Is it time to leave Upekkah? That is what they called this cave."

Kuro, Lail, and the Pokemon were greeted by blue light and giddy trees.

"It's true, somewhere I've changed," spoke Kuro to the gray sky. "But it's not like I can forget. Neither will Endeima."

He switched to Lail. "I can't blame Sombrowl for my actions. And I'm still not going to commit good acts, nor can I wash away the gray." Zangoose ran up to his side. "I have unfinished business, at the place I grew up. Perhaps I can atone in my own way...leaving everyone behind and never causing them trouble again. Submitting myself to exile, not a part of the new region, healed and better because of Erisegia. They felt that exile wasn't a good enough punishment. But I have those living here I'm not saying goodbye to."

Through the painted forest he began walking, Zangoose in sync. "Erisegia and Midori left out a lot of their story; I'm sure they will tell you the rest down the path. I can't face either again. Sombrowl left without going through the portal. Maybe I can find a different way out myself. Please don't follow, because I'm not stopping. Ever again."

Lail watched Kuro suddenly leave, forever he supposed. What would Kuro do if he did try to stop him, right now? But, as if the Spirit Realm knew their intents, the second Kuro fully crossed into the trees, the forest maze swirled into a completely different layout. 

Arachnus huffed with Lail as both wove strolled through the new maze- well, cutting through it. The trees and plants once again jumped aside, blades of grass ducking underneath the clunking legs of the gladiator. 

Then they gazed at the shimmering mirror, Lail washed with thanks as he returned Arachnus to a Pokeball, which felt somewhat weird, as if a Pokeball shouldn't be able to contain such a Pokemon.

He left the blue light, the endless sky, the sorrowful yet comfy feeling as he ducked through the portal.


	18. Frakhalla

"Midori left after that light spread under our feet," explained Zinnia. "She wanted me to relay to you that she was setting off for the Pokemon League. I think, also, she doubted she would see Kuro again. They were partners...but now they'll never see each other.

"That light must've come from the legendary. I wish I could have seen it." She thought some more. "I wonder how much things changed. It's human nature not to like sudden change, but this goes beyond that. Endeima and the Pokemon living here will hopefully be better off now. Kuro, in his twistedness, still wished for that."

Winds and waves of the center sea across the village had caught her attention. "I've gotten familiar with almost all of Endeima now, even sort of counting the Spirit Realm. But I still don't know what lies on that stone shrine in the middle of the sea."

She rummaged in her bag. "But I think Salamence might be able to cut through that wind. Here. Professor Spruce helped forge it for me. The Bagon I caught when I first came here evolved, but I set him free when my old team returned. Use it and Salamence can help pilot you over there...hopefully."

Zinnia gave a blue pager with a red outline to Lail. 

"I can ride on my own Salamence. If you wanted, we could even fly there together-"

They heard sand crunching behind them.

"Who is that girl? Wait, I think I've seen here before, but not in Endeima..."

Jasmine was carefully stepping through the sandy paths to reach Lail and Zinnia, awkwardly stopping and hopping to let sand flow out of her sandals. "Lail- hi! Shrika and then Chase told me I would find you somewhere in Sandsaahi. They were looking for a new gym leader; apparently one of them decided to leave. And, well, now I'm Endeima's eighth gym leader."

"Actually, I think I'll try going there later." said Zinnia, brushing past the others. "Good luck, Lail."

"Oh, uh, bye..." Jasmine uttered, swaying in place while she watched Zinnia leave. "Lail, remember how I said 'when I return to Johto?' Well, now it's 'if.' Amphy came back to me, I bought a house... I think I can start a new life, living on my own, not relying on any of the overbearing trainers in Johto; having to depend on myself. It's nice. For years now I've wandered around the regions, staying only for a bit. Here in Endeima I've finally found it; I've found my home.

"It's also amazing that now I can battle you, as an official gym leader. I don't have a gym yet (neither did the other guy), so how about right here? In the outskirts of this town... Seems fitting, doesn't it? Just let me know when you're ready." She giggled. "This is exciting!"

Healing up in the worn down Pokemon Center and resting on one of the benches, Lail felt ready enough to come back out face the final gym leader. 

Jasmine nodded with determination. They both paced away from each other, then flung around to begin the final duel.

\---

_ Johto Gym Leader Remix v.II - GlitchxCity _

_[Jasmine's unique gym battle theme. It actually begins to play when her and the player back away from each other, and the camera does the transition to the battle right when she turns around and the song picks up, around the 0:16 mark. She then readjusts herself and throws out her first Pokemon, Skarmory. She uses all regular Pokeballs.]_

_Pokemon Jasmine uses: Skarmory, Magnezone, Bronzong, Mithtrill, Frakhalla, Steelix-Mega_

\---

Compared to the other gym leaders - and even Sombrowl - Jasmine's team put up an incredibly difficult fight, each Steel-type Pokemon refusing to keel. He fought Pokemon from Johto, then Sinnoh, a cyborg iguana, and then an intimidating narwhal with a silver flamberge for a horn and an anvil shaped body leading to a tail that can hurt. Frakhalla, which he still didn't know where to find in the wild. And after that, Lail encountered her towering Steelix, except now he stood on the receiving side. 

Jasmine pulled out a locket, which she held up as it began to pour out pink energy. Lail backed up, watching Steelix Mega Evolve, gaining a reinforced head and a galaxy of metal fragments. 

Eventually, several tiring turns later, the wall collapsed.

"You brought my Steelix down...haha! That definitely deserves a badge. Before I left Johto, I was already thinking about leaving for good and made a new badge design. I learned how to smith a while ago, inspired by my steel Pokemon. I'm still learning and, uh, here it is!"

She held out a silver, thin badge in the shape of a shield with teal designs spreading out to the edges. 

"Took a lot of time and...sweat...but now the Cold Iron Badge is yours! That's what I decided to call it. I think it matches the idea of metal in my head - cold to the touch, but strong."

Lail clutched the shield in his hand.

"Thank you for listening to me. It meant a lot. With you, and the other gym leaders, I'm proud to say I've made some friends, which I can show to Amphy." Jasmine closed her eyes in giving a big smile. 

"And now, it's time for the Pokemon League! I've been told it's hidden to normal trainers. No one's told me yet where it is, either. Um, we'll have to ask someone, won't we?"

She shot a look at Chase's gym. "I bet he would know. But I'm gonna go home. I wanna see Amphy again. And I also hope I can see you again! Bye!" Jasmine merrily backtracked through the town.

In such a short time, Lail beat all eight leaders and also stopped a man and an owl. He'd have a lot of stories for his mom to hear. Although he might need to leave out the Spirit Realm part. Next objective: the Elite Four and the Champion. He already knew her fairly well. Would he really take over? He'd have to see...and first figure out how to get there. 


	19. Feralflag

_**This is a Grace Period chapter with some main story details at the end. Feel free to skip this part to continue the main story_

\---

Chase exited his gym as Lail passed, suddenly cooking up a new idea.

"Lail, I was about to check out Mount Kaurita. Want to go up there with me? Except I'd rather not fly this time."

Both hiked up the cutout slope, watching the yellow and brown town below pass by, then the plains and line of trees leading to the very top of the right island. 

"I often fly up to the top of this mountain to gaze at my own town," explained Chase. "I was appointed to be the gym leader by the elders here. The gym leader... well, the gym leader runs the town. Although that meant I would then listen to their ramblings, and then the complaining when I ignored them, I still love it here."

They reached the entrance to the mountain.

"Or volcano," Chase pondered. "We declared it extinct. Then it burst into action. I'm not sure how I sound when I say this to you, but now that it's calmed down, I enjoy the change. It has life again, with Pokemon living inside. Another inexplicable thing occurred when I was inside, where the lava sunk back into the ground. As if the volcano tried to stop itself. It didn't completely work. You could even say that now it's safe to enter."

Inside, Lail followed Chase around the bowling lanes and switchbacks and meta-caves, the gym leader occasionally talking to himself about safety and intrigue and safety. Lail discovered - in the boiling depths - two fossils, the Pyre Fossil and the Rage Fossil.

Cool breeze licked his face, greeting him back outside. Down the slope, Chase exclaimed as he spotted a wandering Pokemon: a large tabby with a raised banner for a tail.

"A Feralflag! Do you know it?"

As both watched it groom itself and confidently walk around the outskirts of the town, Chase provided Lail with all sorts of facts about it. "The flag is symbolic for what it can later evolve into. Roriglade, Panthurn, and Sabero all stem from it; the outcome depends on the flower you pick, from the grass along this region: the tiger lilies inside the Verudian Ardor; the nightshades near the Voyance Manor; the weird mutants of steeled pale stonecrops along the chilly route to the Arctic Reserve. There might even be some of the latter near the abandoned factory. 

"The outcome is your choice. Funny, how many choices life provides us. What Pokemon we spend the rest of our lives with, to the profession that determines our adulthood. I said I decided that I love this city, but I'm still deciding whether or not I love the complacent life. Because right now, all that breaks my routine is the volcano."

Both reached the bottom. "You're challenging the Endeima League now? When you're ready, talk to me. I will happily show you the way." 

Chase returned through the out-of-place automatic doors, between the cracked wood into his gym. 

\---

In the Passentiy Pokemon Center, Jasmine and Shrika sat at one of the circle tables. Lail noticed as he walked up to the counter to heal his Pokemon.

"Ah!" exclaimed Shrika, noticing him walk in. "Boy! You're friends with Jasmine, yes? Join us." Beside her, Jasmine had perked up when she too noticed Lail, but now smiled and waved apprehensively after the blue haired girl's performance.

"I was, hmmmm... what was I doing? Oh yes, I was filling Jasmine on lots and lots of gym leader terms and conditions." Shrika spilled to Lail, his wooden chair screeching along the ground as he tried to pull it back.

"Uh...not really." replied Jasmine. "You were talking about nighttime..."

"But it's so mesmerizing, captivating, intriguing, no?"

A drop of sweat appeared on Jasmine's head.

"Hmm." Shrika's face hardened. "Midori came back. You met her as she did, yes?"

Lail...nodded.

"She left a lot on our plates. But Hitomi and Devin both forgive her. Perhaps I should, in a bit."

"You've talked a lot about them, just since I met you." chimed in Jasmine. "I'm envious. The other leaders in Johto stayed cold to me..."

"As much as I hate Devin, he is my friend. I can tease him with Hitomi. That is how we work."

"I see... Oh, I also noticed how you all have a Pokemon you like to use the most. We did that too. But yours is not from Endeima, why?"

"Ah, that's right, you wouldn't know. You see, my Oricorio was poached."

"Poached??"

"She was then brought here by the culprits hoping for a large payout. Unfortunately for them, we caught them almost immediately. The entire city can look down to the docks."

"So then...what happened to them? The prisoners."

"Naughty prisoners get put on the coffin to Kanto."

"The- the coffin?"

"Mmhm. Endeima doesn't have the room for a prison, nor do we have the proportion of those types of people for one. When there are those who break the law, a vessel for one sends them away from Endeima, accompanied by a Croquistor in the front that prevents the prisoner from moving. At all. The coffin. A Lanturn pulls the ship across the stormy sea, using its light and Croquistor's to see through the fog."

"That's quite hardcore. But what about small crimes? Is it really the same for thieves versus murderers?"

"Croquistor can judge its level of punishment."

"How do the Pokemon get back home?"

"By themselves."

"Wow. Johto doesn't have _anything_ like that. Creepiest thing I can think of is Morty's gym."

"Ghost trainer, yes? I'm quite fond of him..." 

Jasmine shrugged off the imagery of the coffin. "What happened then with Oricorio? How did you become friends?"

"This is what happened next: I was told the Pokemon I saved couldn't return to its habitat. It was taken out and got accustomed to humans. Caught Pokemon can't converse with their wild counterparts as well. I decided to raise her as a new family."

"That's sweet."

"It is..."

A couple seconds of listening to the clatter and murmurs in the rest of the Pokemon Center.

"Jasmine." Jasmine jumped. "How did the battle against the first challenger befall?"

"Eh, I lost," she nervously laughed. 

"Unfortunately unsurprising, as we are looking at a bundle of talent."

Lail wanted to duck under the table.

"Even with my Steelix and his Mega Evolution, we still couldn't beat him!"

"Oh? Mega Evolution? We do not use it here, but I have heard great fables about it. What does it feel like, to have such tremendous power flow through your veins?"

"It's not like that- at least, for me. I feel an unbreakable bond with Steelix, wanting to protect him. In that moment where he Mega Evolves, I sense that he feels the same."

"Naruhodo! Perhaps one day when a ship carrying Mega Stones is brave enough to cut the mist to reach us, I can unlock the power of my Oricorio, and my Revigen." 

"Right...um, Shrika, why do you talk like that?"

"Hmm? Like what?"

"N-nevermind."

"All this talk of battle. Let us push the logistics. Jasmine- where would you want your gym?"

"I was thinking...maybe just have it part of what already exists, like Rush's, along the docks in Passenity."

"Passenity, hmm? You would be competing with me, young lady, as this city's gym leader."

"Wellllll...uhhhm...could we call the docks something different? Or...."

"I was joking. Cannot believe you did not pick up on it. Passenity is such a big city. I am certain two gym leaders would be fine. Even more to do in this bustling purpleness."

"Oh...great. Then, maybe I will!"

"We'd have to contact others to start building; for another time. Boy, are you ready to challenge the League? You better be. Two of them, the ones still remaining, have trained every year since they joined, which was around the dawn of time."

"I think," began Jasmine, "I'll go too. I want to see Amphy. Oh! Lail, I might even have a spare Steelixite! Would you like it? If you ever visit, just- remind me!" Jasmine scurried out of the Pokemon Center. 

"Duties also await me," sighed Shrika, pushing out her chair. "Devin and I have made bets on how far you'll get in the Endeima League. Make me money please (hint: don't lose). Matane."

\---

Lail caught Zinnia mind-boggling busy, dashing about Professor Spruce's lab when he returned to Acufull. 

"Mind giving us a hand?" asked Spruce, swiping by the front lab tables of his, calling Lail further in. His other assistant also didn't stop moving in the back. 

"Here's something," mentioned the professor, pulling up a picture of a Michomotis. 

The computer began to speak in a boring, automated voice. "Michomotis - The Electric Rail Pokemon. Its body is split into several segments and each one has a light. If it wasn't for the swirling electricity, Pokemon could live inside its hollow body."

"So, Zinnia!" exclaimed Spruce. "I've reached the conclusion that Michomotis is Bug and Electric-"

"Actually, its type is Psychic and Bug."

"Aha! That was a trick! Very good observations, Zinnia."

"Er...I wouldn't have known that if I didn't battle one with Lail."

"Still! Do you know why it's Psychic?"

"The, um, cars are held together with psychic energy. In actuality they're completely split."

"Correct. The electricity inside, another fun fact for Lail here, is held together by psychic energy as well. I would wish, Zinnia, that you spent more time researching Michomotis like I asked."

"I'm sorry...I've been exploring Endeima while trying to help out every now and then."

"Zinnia, if you're gonna assist me, you need to show up more than every once in a while."

"I know. But I'm not...sure this job is cut out for me."

"How so?"

"It doesn't feel real to me. Like I'm taking someone else's job. Someone who wants this far more than I do. You already have a good assistant, also, that helps out full time. I don't know how I've wanted to spend my time since I got here, but now I think this is just a blanket for the worry."

"Is that really how you feel?"

"Yes. I'm not certain what to do but I'm certain of the feeling."

"How about you, Lail? Are you glad about the journey you've taken?"

He nodded.

"Nothing is more important than knowing you have enjoyed your journey, and that you have impacted the lives of your friends, and the Pokemon you love. For Zinnia, I think she needs to realize that too."

"I did make an impact, but not the good kind, when I lived in Hoenn."

"How is Hoenn?" asked Spruce. "You know, Azurill, the baby evolution of Marill, was found in Hoenn first, even though Marill is much more prominent in Johto. Did anyone ever talk about that?"

"No, not really..."

"Speaking of Pokemon, not like I don't do the entire time anyways, I need more coverage on Dragular. If you're still up for it, Zinnia, can you look around the Voyance Manor? Maybe even ask our Dark-type gym leader about it?" 

"I can. I like that area." She smiled. "Did you beat Jasmine, Lail? That's good! You're on the track to become Champion." Zinnia then left the lab before him.

\---

"Tadaima Endeima! We return to ND-1, Endeima News Channel and its recap. It's been an exciting day, hasn't it, Mimi?" blared the newscaster from one of the Passenity family's TVs. 

"My-My!"

"First let's get the boring-boring out of the way! The weather, Yuriko!"

The news table cut to a woman in the air, binoculars hanging from her neck and a wide smile on her face. "Glad to be here, Sakanari. Many think weather is boring, but experiencing it is on another plane of fun! I've set out the Drifblim, and they've helped gather valuable data. For those young viewers who don't know, Drifblim can act as our weather balloons! They're as intelligent as humans, so with their own form of communication, they tell us what they sense in the air. And they can carry us, too! I've got one holding my cart right now."

She shabbily snatched the camera from its resting place and pointed it up at the bottom of an inflated Drifblim, and the camera rustled as she tried to put it back in the same place. "That's da weather!"

The screen returned to the long table, the man and woman shuffling their papers. Sakanari cleared his throat. "Only someone living thirty feet in the ground would have missed the eruption of Mount Kaurita. A modern-day phenomenon. We all also saw the lava _shrink_ back into the volcano."

"Miiiiim."

"To explain all of it, I've gained permission to talk with our esteemed Champion, Midori. She can't talk in person, so we are doing it over our comm. Hello, Endeima's Champion."

"...Hi." sizzled Midori's voice through the high-tech walkie-talkie. 

"May you please explain to us, the workings of Endeima's history that triggered this event?"

"You already believe it's some magic from Endeima. Yes, it was something like that. A glass feather rests within the depths of the mountain- or, volcano now. A Pokemon smashed it, which caused the uproar."

"Ah, a glass feather! Sublime! But, how would a Pokemon break something so hidden?"

"...A certain man. It's easier to think of him as a villain. He thought breaking the feather was the key to returning to the Spirit Realm. But the man is gone now. That's all I will divulge."

"Oh-hoh!"

"Mi-Mime!"

"..."

"It seems _someone_ wanted to find that portal, that evasive portal, the one no one has ever seen!" reported Sakanari.

"Except Naosu- which our audience may or may not believe." added Toushan. "Which do you believe, Sakanari?"

The man stammered. "I-I think I should let that stir within the viewers. I remain indecisive, you see. Ahum."

Toushan chuckled. "Which do you think, Mimi?"

"Mi........mmmm..Mi."

"Well said. Next up on ND-1's recap is the new list of plant species you _don't_ want sitting in your home. Also: the spectacular competition held in Verudia City draws closer! Make sure to buy those tickets!"

Lail left the house as an advertisement about toothpaste for Carnivine ("No teeth?" "For mouth diseases, Carnivine is still not free!") echoed throughout.

He took a final tour of the city, preparing for the League. He paged Dragonite in the courtyard, shocking some park-goers, and headed to Sandsaahi for Chase's directions.


	20. Galvenging

Chase leaned against his gym with one leg, arms crossed, waiting for Lail.

"Are you ready?" he asked, peeling off when the trainer finally approached. "The way to the Pokemon League...is back on the left island, near the National Park. It's hidden, off the trails, limited to special trainers. Now you're one of them. Going all the way back, here to the park, must make you realize how far you've come. But I hear you have a Dragonite you can ride? Lent by Rush, no less. I've never seen him break out of his shell enough to do such a thing."

Dragonite dropped Lail off back at the graveled grounds and shabby shacks. Down each end of the middle area and down again, he still couldn't find any sign of a hidden path. People around here could probably not help either. So he kept looking...

Passing the Ranger Station-

The Shadow Triad suddenly flashed into existence, hunched and staring at Lail.

"We wanted to-" harshly whispered the rightmost one.

"Save our leader." continued the middle, the trio's thoughts intertwined.

"The Spirit Realm-"

"Endeima's divine being-"

"Could fix Ghetsis's spirit-"

"Lost to shadow."

"We thought we could follow Kuro-"

"We three came to him here not long ago-"

"When we sensed a spirit with equal potential for calamity."

"At first, he was cautious."

"Then he agreed that we steal the feathers for him, as long as we didn't hurt."

"Yet he too has left us, body and soul."

"We decided-"

"To act on our own-"

"And take your feather-"

"And unlock Endeima's secrets ourselves."

They sprung forward instantly.

\---

_ Temporal Dreams - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[Now it's a Triple Battle, with six Pokemon total. The screen first shows all three character portraits, which spread out and fly off-screen, showing the three actual Shadows standing in a neat line and moving at the same time. First each Shadow sends out a Bisharp, followed by a unique Pokemon which here are Absol, Sabero, and Krookodile.]_

_Pokemon Shadow Triad uses: Bisharp(x3), Absol, Sabero, Krookodile_

_\---_

The three stood there without moving or breathing. Then at the last split second they looked at each other, then lunged just like at the bridge. 

White balls of Pokemon dashed in front of Lail's body, obviously succeeding in something as the Shadows leapt back. 

An Okarthro summoned a Silver Wind while a sturdy Shelgon next to it shout out a Dragon Pulse, both attacks effortlessly dodged. 

"You all continue to protect each other-"

"Even at your lowest points."

"Fine. We will leave you all alone."

With a blink, the Shadow Triad no longer stood in the National Park. 

The two white Pokemon ran up to Rush, walking up the path to his mountain.

"You made it."

He gave a few strokes to Shelgon's hard head and Okarthro's scaly body, then returned them.

"I've done lots of thinking since you battled me. My Pokemon and a few others convinced me maybe it's okay to come down the mountain every now and then. Dragonite isn't wild anymore, but he's still free. He flies back to visit, and being able to see all of Endeima makes him look so much happier. Such a difference from when he was sick. You also still have some of Endeima left to explore, too." 

Rush guided him to the edge of the main grounds, the border between the short grass and sanded dirt, and the wall of taiga trees.

"The last bastion of the Endeima Legaue: our Victory Road. If you're wondering why you haven't seen or heard of it until now, that's because it's purposefully concealed. Unfortunately, it's leaked to some ace trainers looking to train, but they're most likely too prideful to pass the secret on to anyone inexperienced. It's also significantly different from say Kalos or Hoenn; I'll leave it for you to see why. "

He twisted his foot on a few stones embedded in the dirt. "How I remember where. The stones outline the footprint of an Okarthro. Keep going straight from here, the backdoor of Ethearth Forest, and you'll be in Victory Road."

The leaves rustled as he pulled apart the front row of plants and shifted to the left, allowing clear passage. Lail nodded and entered underneath the canopy into Ethearth, this time finishing his journey. He noticed that the grass under him was beaten down by the shoes of past trainers. Rush followed behind.

And soon the path lightened, sun turning the grass yellow-green. The ground he looked down on to avoid trips and cuts soon became dotted with chunks of limestone. Stone?

He looked up. Smooth, rough, and broken gray rocks lay in piles and towers. Bricks and clumps of limestone formed pillars and arches, occasionally even an entire platform, and those occasionally even with multiple, flat stories. 

"A city in the forest, built by the Tadia." said Rush. "Makes you wonder how this was built. My favorite part of Endeima. It's a shame though that the city was never meant to last. Strange to think you might become my new Champion. Midori, however, is tough. Stay vigilant."

Ethearth cleared itself so that it provided square rooms, walled off by trees with stone arches in the middle as doors. In each square was something different - strong trainers, patches of tall grass, patches of sunlight, patches of sparkling azure water, all contributing to something completely different each time Lail passed the trunks' borders. 

He made his way deeper into the bottom half of Ethearth Forest. The final square conquered, and he found himself on another skinny path through the trees. A small circular clearing came up this time, a beautiful pond filled with plants at the very north and a shabby cabin titled "Pokemon Center" on his right. Tall, gray stones rose into the air, their heads sharpened like spears. On them were carved symbols, some Lail couldn't make out, others depicting the elements - the wind, the water, the earth, with whimsical curving lines and pictographs.

A few trainers wandered in place or leaned on something, defeated. "Man! I didn't stand a chance..." groaned an Ace Trainer pressed against one of the stones, a Pangoro with a bandage on its nose next to him, its head hunched. "Those guys are tough, seriously! My butt was handed to me just with the second Elite."

Lots of other trainers inside and outside the Pokemon Center gave him similar grievances and warnings. Nurse Joy healed his team, and also offered him encouragement. He wondered how sure she was to him with all the other trainers sulking around him. He returned to the cool sunlight, awaiting him at the final entrance to the League.

Limestone pillars curved to an ominous path, much darker with thick vegetation from the trees beside it covering the top. Two oil lanterns hung from the leaves at the entrance. A couple elders, from Sandsaahi, stood on either side, bowing as Lail cautiously crept past, displaying his eight badges for them. 

He crunched into the darkness of the forest, the very heart of it. 

\---

_ Vast Poni Canyon - Pokemon Sun and Moon _

_[The theme here for Victory Road, which all occurs inside a forest. It has lots of sunlight due to the clearings, making it happy and containing lots of potential for adventure.]_

_ Austrilund - Wizard101 _

_[The theme for the area right before the Elite Four. Uninterrupted by the Pokemon Center. One last break before fighting again.]_

\---

The first room, or clearing of the forest: a large circle with a floor of sand, creating an arena. It remained incredibly dark, with only a small circle of light at the very center of the roof trickling down to the bottom, onto a mountain...of ice, glowing as it reflected the light. Somehow, an ice mountain capped with snow endured inside this forest, bearing the beam of light. And, also baffling Lail, the room was snowing. He caught real snowflakes in his hand, watching the rest drop down from the forest's canopy. 

"HellooOOOoooOo!" emitted a cackling, raspy voice from the top of the mountain. An old man came into focus, waving with a cane. He slid down the mountain like a teenage skater, gliding right up to Lail. 

"Darwin. That is me name!" The old man's toothless smile stretched to his entire face, throwing Lail's hands up and down. "I, as the first Elite, cannot wait to see your shine! A shine like ice! Hee hee! Without further adooo...hehehe!" The old man, once again warping Lail's idea of everything that existed in the world, ran up the slippery ice mountain effortlessly, jumping as he reached the top. He threw out his cane. "I've never lost! Almost." Then a threatening flame burst in his eyes. "So be prepared to fight with your dying breath! I've got yeeears of wiping the floor with all y'all youngins. Time to let it snow! Hee hee!"

\---

_ Mt. Lanakila (Summit) - Pokemon Sun and Moon _

_[Begins when you enter the League. You move through four vertical chunks of the forest, each with the different themes described. The Elite Four members begin to talk when you get close enough. The theme returns after you beat them.]_

_Alight (Storm) - Fire Emblem Fates_

_[The battle theme for the Elite Four. They all have six Pokemon, ideally with competitive IV/EV spreads and movesets, making them very powerful. Each one has an extended intro showing the model doing something and throwing their Pokeball with the Pokemon coming out, all in one take. Here, the camera spins around the smiling Darwin who taps his cane on the ice mountain. Then he bowls a Premier Ball down the mountain, which flies into the air as it slides off the bottom, with an Alolan Ninetales gracefully landing on the ground in front of the mountain which remains in the background along with the snow. Darwin uses all Premier Balls, and his strategy revolves around setting up hail.]_

_Pokemon Darwin uses: Ninetales-A, Sandslash-A, Cyogonal, Rendibirb, Gigafroth, Beartic_

\---

"Awwww, me lost." grumbled the old man. He stayed on the top of his mountain. "Fine, fine! Move along, move along. I'm just the beginning...hehe! I do admit, that was a blast! Well worth staying here even in my old, fragile years..."

Lail ventured around the ice, finding another small natural tunnel to lead to the next Elite. Up above, he noticed two Cyogonal, flying side to side and causing snow to fall from them like salt shakers. 

The next room was darker, a single orb hanging in the sky, yellow with volts dancing around it. He slowly stepped forward in a neat line, careful to not hit anything. On his last step the room came to life. On either side, poles sizzled with electricity with blueish orbs, lit and filling up the entire area. Machines with piano keys of buttons, lights, and meters turned on, humming and clacking as they lit up bottom to top. 

A woman had her back to him, dressed in gold and yellow armor and a small yellow cape, reminding him of a medieval banner hanging on her back. A long blonde ponytail ran down her armor, slightly frizzled from the static. She coolly turned around, revealing an aged face with lines under the eyes, hardened but still elegant. Yellow eyes dug into Lail.

"Others call me 'Lady Light.' That's not my name, but it's too late to change their image. Perhaps I seem out of place for Pokemon battles, but this is where I stay. You seem worthy of a challenging battle."

The orbs and machines amped up their power, zaps feeding into the large light above them. 

"Then, if you have steeled yourself. En Garde."

\---

_ Alight (Storm) - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[She slides out a sword also charged with electricity, spinning it and plunging it into the ground next to her. With her white gloves she then snaps off an Ultra Ball from her waist, harshly throwing it into the middle. A Heliolisk bares its frill at the player. Lady Light uses all Ultra Balls, and her strategy revolves around setting up Electric Terrain.]_

_Pokemon Lady Light uses: Heliolisk, Luxray, Vikavolt, Shuhahuna, Galvenging, Ampharos-Mega_

\---

Immediately, the Heliolisk Lady Light sent out caused yellow orbs to turn the floor yellow, mystical mass within moving about like clouds. All her Pokemon took advantage of the terrain, delivering powerful attacks while she continued to stare sternly. Her fifth Pokemon, a spinosaurus combined with a long necked Catalan dragon, dropped to the ground, summoned, and unfurled standing sideways, its long head bending to meet him instead. The rocky fins along its back shined lime green, reveling in the amount of light shining above them. It breathed out blue electricity, and its skullish face still conveyed anger. This woman also possessed a Mega Evolution: an Ampharos, also capable of setting an Electric Terrain, slow but powerful. She had pressed on the tip of her sword, cocooning it and her Pokemon in bright energy. 

Ampharos closed its eyes in anguish and fell, its glamorous white hair flapping in the air. Before its impact, Lady Light calmly returned it to her Pokeball. "I've grown soft," she commented, reattaching the sword and Pokeball. "The only criticism I can offer is that you exude charm, enough to inspire others. I miss that gaze, the one you give to your Pokemon." She stepped aside. "The third member is eager to face you."

The sandy circle of the third clearing was lined with wax candles, burning red flames. 

"Oh! Ahaha! No way!" exclaimed a voice from high above. Lail tried to find the source, gazing at a multitude of wooden beams, ropes at each end tightly tied to the tree trunks. Red lanterns flickered above those, reminding him of a tree village in fantasies. He began hearing thudding from them, a couple vibrating, each one lower than the last. 

Then Daggen dropped down onto the closest beam to Lail, crawling, handstanding, and spinning down it, finally jumping off but not without multiple frontflips in the process.

"I knew you'd make it here, but part of me still can't believe you're standing by me!"

Daggen put his hands behind his head and grinned. "It's been a while. Midori allowed me to become a member of the Elite Four. We get to decorate our own section of the forest! Cool, right? The guy before me didn't have a lot here to begin with, so I was already able to put in all of this. We're allowed to venture off into Endeima, too. After this, I think I'll see Sandsaahi again. I like the calmness there. I'm still working for Midori in a way, but I'm finally blessed with some freedom. Oh- the battle! Welp!" Daggen hopped back onto the beam, crouching. "Let's kick it!"

\---

_ Alight (Storm) - Fire Emblem Fates  _

_[The camera pans around Daggen as he grins. He then spins around the beam and flings into the air, doing a cool pose and throwing his Repeat Ball directly at the ground. A Torkoal pops out, spinning on the ground then standing up, steeling itself and puffing smoke out. Daggen uses all Repeat Balls, and his strategy revolves around setting up harsh sunlight.]_

_Pokemon Daggen uses: Torkoal, Talonflame, Victreebel, Vulfrost, Stumperor, Shiftry_

\---

Daggen's Pokemon filled the room with sunlight, each of his Pokemon benefiting in some form. Daggen interestingly used grass types as well, overpowering Lail's own team underneath the sun. He knew he'd have to face Daggen's Shiftry, and what a fight it was.

"Aha! Cool! Hmm...I've got all sorts of interests and ideas for the world. I've never really decided on much in regard to my life. I think I've found it though, what to fit in the rest of my life. This was the most fun I've ever had. But *sighhhhh* you gotta move on. Reiah's here too, ya know? Why did she come back? Well, you can ask her yourself!" Daggen slapped a hand on Lail's back and pushed him forward. "Living life is great! Live it!"

Reiah's room in the forest emitted a different feeling, one of serenity and monachopsis. Cherry blossom petals skipped through the gentle air, although he could not see any of their trees. Touching the trunks, tinted purple light pulsated into the arena.

Pink hair pointed downwards. Reiah stared at the wistful trees beside her, eyes wavering. She was late to notice the challenger, gasping for a split second and shifting. "Hi. You're probably wondering why I'm standing here, back with Midori and everyone. I wanted so much...to break free of always feeling anxious, to do something spectacular, but I realized you don't have to stop a volcano or a villainous team to blossom. All it takes is friends and Pokemon to take care of, making you realize you've matured and grown out of your fears. 

"Midori told me I inspired her, how much I've grown. I suppose I have, but not in the way she wanted. Doing dangerous tasks on my own felt great. That thrill... that might be what I want to live for. What do I sense from your team? It feels warm, happy... they love you very much. In part from the events befallen onto you. And now they have to battle. Your last fight before the Champion. Stay strong!"

\---

_ Alight (Storm) - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[Reiah holds a Heal Ball with both hands and brings it to her chest, praying. She then holds it above her, still with both hands, and a Beheeyem flies in several weird directions before positioning itself for battle. She uses all Heal Balls, and her strategy revolves around setting up Psychic Terrain.]_

_Pokemon Reiah uses: Beheeyem, Girafarig, Illiracy, Michomotis, Magipig, Gallade-Mega_

\---

Her Beheeyem set up a Psychic Terrain, instantly making Lail feel weird inside as he stood on purple waves of light. He battled psychic types, all with intense moves, eventually landing on Gallade. Reiah held her hands against a jewel on her armored shirt, something Lail didn't notice before, and purple light wrapped around Gallade, turning him into a knight. 

The Psychic Terrain vanished when Reiah lost, smiling at her Pokeballs. She thought about what to say. "Midori also...told me everything about her. She had valid reasons for her actions, but not all of them. She came to me alone, telling me how much she regretted leaving everyone. Part of me feels grateful for that. Has she told you? Well, I'll spend the last of my respect letting her tell it herself. 

"I'm back because she promised me that you'd become Champion shortly. I'd never have to stand next to her again. So go, take the place you deserve. And knock her out of here. She's through those trees."

Lail left behind the soothing petals, entering the tunnel-like path into the final clearing, to the last battle of the Endeima League. 


	21. Aeon-Okami

Rather than a circle, Lail scanned down an entire route: a river with lily pads floating along it, gurgling as part of it dropped a foot to smooth rocks below it; a wooden bridge arching over the water, leading to a patch of grass filled with colorful flowers; lots of sunlight, breaking through the plentiful patches in the forest's sky. A strong breeze rustled everything, including Midori's dark green hair. She fiddled with the pendant in her hand. 

It took a little for Lail to reach her, and when he did she smiled, still staring at the jade leaf. 

"I don't think Erisegia changed anything, really; only the convictions of those wanting to better the world. Erisegia knew about me... I wonder if that helped give me the power to set them free. I've figured myself out, the fate of me and my partner."

Midori gleamed at Lail, clutching her hand beside her. "Even after the crisis passed, there's a lot left out. Not just by me. I promise, after this, I'll reveal everything. Right now I will answer one question: how the volcano reversed. The sole reason was this."

She held out her pendant like a badge. "The power to manipulate time. I was blessed with it a long time ago, but both I and the Pokemon inside longed to see each other, eye to eye. Erisegia finally granted that wish. I used them to reverse the volcano's activation, and to heal myself certain times I got hurt. You keep the memories, constantly building on a new self. Endeima has so much emotion, such a complex past, all welled inside."

The pendant gleamed, and Midori nodded. "A final challenge, hopefully filled with life. It's time to show you the Champion I've always hoped I could be."

\---

_ Battle Cry (Stand Up!) - Pokemon DP _

_[When the player enters Midori's clearing, the theme begins to play the first guitar notes (0:00 to 0:13) on loop. And then when Midori's battle begins with the battle screen, it switches to right before the chorus (0:36) and plays the rest of the song during the battle. Midori takes one last glance at her pendant, her necklace taken off as well. The pendant continues to glow, turning into a green ball of light the size of a Pokeball. Midori holds it to her, then spins and gracefully throws it into the air. The green light pops similarly to a Pokeball, and Celebi flies down. For the other five Pokemon Midori uses standard Poke Balls.]_

_Pokemon Midori uses: Celebi, Kingdra, Verseelie, Drakaster, Enigmare, Roriglade_

\---

Her pendant turned into a glowing green Pokeball of light. She held it to her heart, tossed it, and the light spread out just like a Pokeball. Then Lail stared wordlessly as Celebi from Johto flew down to battle him.

He felt completely energized, facing the toughest team in Endeima. Even without Celebi, a mythical Pokemon somehow in the Champion's hands, the rest each brought their own challenge. Roriglade - her fake or real partner? - reared back and roared, the final member. 

Green light. 

A smile.

"You're finally done with your challenge. Tell me, are you happy? We're often happy when we find our purpose in life. Keep this title and your purpose. I had lost what it meant for me to be Champion. I believe you'll be a far better one."

Celebi buzzed around her head and she laughed from the gut. She took out an empty Poke Ball, and captured them inside. "I found Celebi similar to how you found Lugia. The rest of the answer lies in Ethearth. For now, enjoy the achievement of being crowned the Champion of Endeima. 

Her white dress ruffled in the grass as she led Lail behind her, to a stretch of wood attached to a gigantic tree. Lail was instructed to inscribe the names of his Pokemon with a silver knife next to it.

Outside the four members of the Elite Four had formed a line, coming up one at a time to offer congratulations and shake his hand. Reiah hugged him.

The fly back home was cool and calm. Dragonite enjoyed the breeze along his body. Lail enjoyed the breeze flying through his hair and his jacket. 

His mom popped out his eyes with her thirty second hug. She made his favorite dinner. He wished his dad could be here. 

Night overlapped beautifully. The stars came out too. He spread himself out on the soft covers, not walking or battling.

He felt the cold air emanating from his window. The town looked so different out of it.

For a second he thought he saw Midori, standing at the entrance to his town, staring at his window.

The grass swayed slowly. Dew from the flowers the neighbors always watered sparkled. And wow, there sure were a lot of trees, and lots looked the exact same. 

Another flash of Midori, walking down Route 706 - his first route. 

Out in the cold air he walked fully dressed, his jacket hood up. Fog still poured out of the pond with the Morgetta. Down a ways, and Midori stood sorrowfully in front of the entrance to Ethearth Forest. 

"The rest of Endeima's answer. In here. Stay close."

So he was doing this. He entered the familiar scenery, a little drained of color under the moon instead of the sun. Then Midori veered into the side, into the compacted trees. Into darker green both went until the darkness no longer existed. Light - clear light from an opening - soon awaited the pair's arrival. The opening, Lail realized stepping into it, contained an oval shaped clearing, the trees ahead leading to an ancient, wooden fountain. 

"Ysthip, the original settlement of the Tadia - this clearing, and the secluded ruins near it. Celebi, one last time." The mythical Pokemon whizzed around in the moonlight, glittering green magic falling onto the trees.

"As I searched for the true past of Endeima, I ran across Celebi, falling from a portal in the sky into my arms." revealed Midori. "What luck. Celebi guided me through, and I understood. I accepted that I had to play the role the past wrote for me. But the choices I make presently are allowed to be my own.

"And now Celebi will guide you through the past as well. You deserve the truth, especially as the Champion. Okay."

Celebi glistened; a portal at the end of the trees in front of them appeared, a replica of the mirror to the Spirit Realm. 

Lail looked back at Midori.

"I cannot go this time. Know that depictions of time elsewhere are fairly misleading. They suggest the past is sacred; touching anything creates chaos. The opposite exists. In fact, in here the world depends on you interacting with it. I'll let you see why."

Celebi and Lail ventured into the portal.

.

.

He stood in a river of dirt, between two forests of spruce trees. Was he in Ethearth? The trees looked the same. Fire flickered nearby, on top of a hanging cliff of the mountain northeast. Men in bizarre outfits - leather clothes, wood for shoulder pads and horns made out of leaves - huddled on top, a couple carrying torches. In front stood a creature that looked to Lail like a scarfed Zangoose. 

Thunder rumbled overhead, and Lail's stomach dropped when he heard an echoing screech.

The scarfed Pokemon and the men behind it looked into the sky as Sombrowl descended from the thunderclouds. 

"Aeon-Okami!" grunted the closest man, jabbing a beefy arm at the swooping owl. 

Their Pokemon raised its right arm, and a wall of roots sprouted from the ground far below, rising with great speed and blocking them from view.

Sombrowl brought its legs in front, baring its grotesque talons which sliced through the roots effortlessly, continuing to descend. Aeon-Okami brought up its left arm; a thick tree trunk sprouted underneath Sombrowl, frantically flapping its wings to escape the tree rapidly raising beneath it. It darted back, allowing the deadly wood to shoot past. The owl raised its wings and screeched to the sky; a vortex of thunder crashed down above the scarfed Pokemon. It stood there calmly, absorbing the electricity, the last licks of lightning circling its legs and disappearing. 

Aeon-Okami lurched forward, and by one forceful motion with its arms, sent two giant trees next to it hurling into the air toward Sombrowl, who caught the trunks with its talons and splintered them in half in one squeeze. The bent hunks of tree and their myriad of wooden shards disappeared in the forest below. Sombrowl then sent an Air Slash at the cliff, quickly dodged, and the recipient bunched up its left arm, throwing out branches from inside it like ninja stars. 

While the owl zapped through the sky dodging the assault of weapons, Celebi softly buzzed beside Lail, both transfixed on the fight. Lail noticed that the Pokemon had their mouth open, eyes hollow, as if revisiting a bad memory. 

"No!!" yelled the horned man staring daggers into Aeon-Okami jumping off the cliff, aimed directly overhead Sombrowl. It rolled over, barely avoiding a glowing white slice of air, and thrust out its palms. A tree immediately shot out from them, smacking into the owl and sending it flying back uncontrollably. Black feathers rustled against the bottoms of the trees; Sombrowl used its talons to skid along the dirt river. Lail and Celebi dashed aside, the long talons scraping up sparks. A few moments to find composure passed, then the Pokemon lifted back into the air. 

The forest rumbled for a second; a wall of lightning erupted from the line Sombrowl's talons scraped into the earth. Each side of the river began to separate. 

Sombrowl seemed to enjoy the reaction it caused and swooped down purposefully, scraping its talons along the rest of the river, reaching the ocean and kicking up water as it ascended. Lail struggled to find footing as the land under him turned away, eager to face the ocean instead of its homeland. He shakily watched Sombrowl become paralyzed in a sphere of green energy, Aeon-Okami back on the cliff and pulling the owl toward it with a powerful Giga Drain. 

Then the forest lurched forward, the trees dropping to their knees.

\---

He spun around in a different forest, a brighter shade of green, reflecting the happiness of the sunlight. 

"We summoned you! A guardian to fight for us! That means you do as we say." hissed a different man, but dressed in the same clothes as before. The mass behind him shared the same facial expressions. Ahead slowly walked Aeon-Okami, its head facing the grass, its back facing the tribe.

It approached a wooden fountain, the same one Midori led Lail to. Except in the past it lived, spurting a sparkling shade of water. 

"That darkness grows worse! None of us can sleep at night. You must help us!" The frontlining man lowered a torch, lit during the daytime, which shot out a ball of fire. It purposefully grazed the Pokemon's shoulder then exploded in a contained flame. 

Rubbing its shoulder, Aeon-Okami gazed at the sky, at a clump of storm nearby. A figure cloaked in the gray clouds flew away...

"You let that shadow creature go! You will kill it next time, or the punishment gets worse. Do you understand?" the man added, furious at the Pokemon still moving around. 

It dipped its paw into the fountain. The water turned a neon green. Some of the men in the back gasped, listening to heavy thudding appear out of nowhere. The trees right beside them fell sideways, Arachnus tramping into the oval clearing, preparing to fend off the men - except its spider-centipede body was green, hidden underneath wooden armor. Long leaves acted as banners, streaming on its lances for arms. The men exclaimed and readied their torches. 

A different forest - dark green, wiry trunks. A tremendous amount of rustling echoed through. The trees parted, and Lail stared at the face of Sombrowl, _crawling_ through the forest. Arachnus, its appearance still fused with grass, broke through the forest beside him, galloping up to the owl with its arm lances ready. Its red eye rotated back to Lail.

Swirling back into the depths of Ethearth Forest, Lail watched the Taida set fire to the wooden fountain. The flames tried to bury into it, but it remained unharmed. 

"Aeon-Okami's spirit is still fighting, the nuisance." grunted one of the men. 

In another scene, the tribe began construction in Bleeshadow. Lail noticed the differences between the two fountains, this one displaying the wooden body of Aeon-Okami.

"Why bother even paying tribute?" asked one of them, pulling apart dirt with his hands.

"We're not." replied someone near him, stopping the chopping of wood with a rustic tool to frown at the statue. "If those trading tribes from across the ocean set foot on land, they'll see what we want them to."

Thunder coughed overhead.

"It's getting worse. No one can touch the darkness anymore without repercussions." agonized a plump old woman, wiry gray hair fleeing from her dirty clothes, tending a plagued man lying down in her shack. 

A young guy standing by the door behind her sighed at the wooden floor, Lail saw between a boarded hole in the wall. "The darkness ruins everything it touches." he said. "If you step out of the light, you are attacked, or overcome with sickness."

"Yes...bless them for the gift of fire." The old woman dabbed the sick man's cheek with a wet cloth. 

"Aeon-Okami kept the darkness at bay."

"Yes...."

"But the leaders in the past sealed them away. No we have nothing to defend ourselves."

"Please don't tell me you will try to reawaken it. It didn't take to our people too fondly..."

The kid stayed silent, glaring at the sick man.

Lail, in a haze, saw Midori being pulled by Celebi, the same Celebi absent from Lail's side. It seemed to be purposefully moving her away from him. Before he could react, the scenery blipped. 

The frontliners of the mass dipped their torches into the oozing green liquid of the original fountain. 

"A torch that will no longer burn out," grinned the leader. "First we turned it into a weapon, borrowed from Drakaster. Now this weapon is eternal." 

"Shurief." came a timid voice in the back.

"Yes, what is it?"

"We have lost sight of the kid. His grandkaasan was worried about him. She hasn't seen him since dawn."

"Then we will look when we return. Such a blessing from the overlord, that Aeon-Okami's shrine allowed us to fight back against the darkness, this sudden morning."

Trees susurrated nearby. Cries and comments answered it. An Ursaring and a Grankenstil broke through the vegetation into the clearing, leaking out anger. The Grankenstil pounced and a battle ensued, the tribe shooting fire from their torches. 

Celebi, safe far within the forest, squinted their eyes. The Ursaring drew back its swipe, speeding up and reversing back into the forest, its victims transfixed. Apparently, this was enough to save the men; the Grankenstil swung back into the trees in anger, shrugging off the massive damage dealt to it. 

Lail bundled up. Far out, the ocean sprinkled with hail, vast curved ships came sailing in. Men stood on the edges with silver helmets with horns of ice resting on top. They confidently approached the sheet of ice. Arachnus, closer to the design in the Spirit Realm but smaller with lighter armor, stood behind in one of the boats. 

"Shurief, the men who came proposed they also settle on the right island."

"Pfft. The right island. We have no need to touch it ourselves."

"So are you allowing them to settle there?"

"They taught us new ways to keep Pokemon. I condemn it, but I will keep my mouth shut." The leader rolled his ever-lit torch. 

The same kid, dead-eyed, sat against the old woman's door. "I'm sorry...I'm really sorry. Aeon-Okami made me..."

"Aeon-Okami? Did you-" cried out the old woman, but she heard something terrifying outside. Hordes of Pokemon - Revigen, Dragular, Ariados, several others - were rampaging onto Pithpy. Men broke their wooden doors, running to defend their houses.

Thunder coughed overhead.

Sombrowl swept the grass aside, flying low. 

"Again."

Two Okarthro on either side of the bunched-up tribe unleashed a draconic beam. Sombrowl zapped side to side, evading both. But the ends of its wings caught fire from the assailing torches. Another beam hit its hard, flat face. 

Sombrowl cried out, and dashed into the center of the sea, passing through the stone of the tall shrine. 

"No! The overlord!"

Black clouds hissed out of the top of the pillar, creating a powerful thunderstorm humming over the entire sea. Synchronized lightning splashed into the water; whirlpools and tidal waves washed out over the shores. 

The clouds spread over all of Endeima.

The thunderstorm continued. The new leader of the Tadia clutched his torch, his back to the false fountain in Pithpy. Some houses were still only scraps of wood, scattered within the grass. "Endeima has rejected us, not letting us live in our home. For generations we still grasp at the chance for one second without worry. The land deserves to be punished! And so do the people, gorging merrily, the region refusing to cause trouble for _them._ "

He received a confirmation of yells. 

Lail teleported. He backed away from Celestiash Forest, with actual trees yellow and green, all lit on fire. 

"It's not stopping!" gasped a woman with singed hair. 

Lail was hauled back. "Get away from the fire!" yelled an ice horned man, rushing to help the victims with blackened cloths. 

Lail teleported. Arachnus galloped past the fire, avoiding the flames, carrying two kids on its back. A few men in front quickly pulled them off. The second the last foot left, Arachnus sprinted back inside the perpetually blazing forest. 

"Please! You've done enough!"

Arachnus didn't come back out. 

\---

Elsewhere in the past, the legendary birds Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres circled around Johto's ocean like vultures. The waves crashed into a land devastated with frozen plants and Pokemon, trees burning, and scorched craters from lightning. The birds shot a few more attacks onto it. 

However, their rampages was cut apart by a tornado of water, crashing up between them. Lugia broke the water apart, furious at the birds watching them. 

They wove through fire blasts and beams of ice and electricity, a massive pocket of wind building up behind them. Lugia stopped and flapped; the trio were blasted back. But they all kept fighting, a lucky shot from an Ice Beam freezing Lugia's tail. They fell, shielding themselves with white wings, bearing a coordinated attack. 

Another twister rose them back into the sky, the ice on its tail finally broken. They hurried into the middle of the trio, and turned into a silhouette of white light. It gave one hair-raising pulse, the ring of light spreading across the sky. The birds suddenly fled from Johto. 

Lugia dropped lifelessly into the ocean, sinking to the bottom. A lime green circle twinkled underneath their unresisting body.

\---

Everyone watched a glowing silhouette of a bird rise over the horizon, half the size of the globe. It analyzed Endeima, the white, pupilless eyes the only distinguishable part of it. It stretched out its body, covering the sky, and covered Endeima with its wings, like a father hugging his child. 

The burning forest was blown out gently like a candle. The storm retreated, only able to contain itself in a small bunch over its pillar. Sombrowl, attempting to flee, was pulled into the light. And overhead, the glowing bird dissolved, golden sparkles floating to the ground, landing in front of feet of humans and Pokemon. Moonlight filtered down.

An Azure Dragon fell from the sky, lifeless. A twinkling green portal opened up underneath it, and both vanished.

\---

Lail figured out where he stood now; Route 709, amidst the tranquil storm. Then, shockingly, lay the hurt body of Lugia on the coast, unable to make a sound. Midori sat in front, stroking their head, and silently sniffling. 

She heard the swish of grass behind her. "Help! Please! There's minutes, seconds, anything...please..."

Celebi smiled at Lail, then buzzed over. Lugia faintly watched the fairy hover over their body. Celebi smiled at Midori as well, then held her hands for a moment. They spun up into the air and erupted in green light, crying out in agony. Scars and scuff marks erased themselves from Lugia's white body, and they came back to life, able to squirm, able to raise their head at the light now faltering and lowering into Midori's palms. Celebi reappeared, trading appearances with Lugia, eyes closed and hurting. Their glowing green body began shriveling up and crystallizing. Soon, Midori gazed wide-eyed at the pendant she held, in the beautiful shape of a leaf. 

And then both humans silently tracked Lugia crawling to the water, giving one last grateful look to Midori and Lail before plunging in. 

\---

Time continued to show him different events, but without Celebi by his side.... It transported him back into the middle of Ethearth, but at the entrance to the Pokemon League. The Tadia were inserting pillars of limestone into the ground, quiet and humble. 

"Shurief, why here?'

"To honor the Shuriefbefore my time, as well as the other countless victims, lost to the darkness."

Midori shuffled along the dark forest's path, branches grazing her feet. She carefully placed a glowing candle on Aeon-Okami's fountain: the green light's veins rushed under Lail's feet. Midori fell back, terror-struck. 

She and Arachnus approached the sandy circle housing the Spirit Realm's entrance. Arachnus cried out, a shimmering mirror illuminating both of them.

"I see...so that's where they lie." she whispered to the gladiator. "Please, make it disappear. I don't want any more pain."

They left, avoiding Sandsaahi. 

\---

_ Gate - Pokemon Black and White _

_[Plays during the "fake" ending of the story; the Elite Four congratulate the player and they return home, watching a scene with their mother then seeing Midori out of the window.]_

_ Crossing Swords - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[Aeon-Okami and Sombrowl duke it out.]_

_ In Pitiful Silence - Tales of Vesperia  _

_[Plays when the player is in the oval clearing. Also plays during the time movie, from the Tadia yelling at Aeon-Okami to Midori getting pulled away by Celebi.]_

_ Sudrilund - Wizard101  _

_[Plays from the scene with the eternal torches to the Tadia discussing what to do with the other tribe that arrived.]_

_ The Past Revealed - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 _

_[Plays from the Pokemon attacking Pithpy to Lugia battling with the legendary birds.]_

_ Time's Scar - Chrono Cross _

_[Lugia sinks through the ocean during the slow beginning of the song. This scene doesn't last that long, so it would only play for a few seconds. A segment of the last half (1:33 to end) fits much better for when Erisegia appears in Endeima.]_

\---

Midori faced away from the portal, hearing but not seeing Lail leave the twinkling portal. It took a few seconds for Lail to adjust to reality, Celebi resting in Midori's arms. 

"Was it confusing? Time only chose to show you those moments, but what you saw factually happened. Thanks to Celebi, I know the full, accurate history of Endeima, pieced together from those visions. I could help you understand, if you'd like. It'll take a while."

Lail awkwardly found a log to sit on.

"Centuries ago, a giant land mass spontaneously sprung from the birth of Erisegia. They did not, however, act as its god. Aeon-Okami controlled the springs of life; Sombrowl controlled the sky. One day, the land, it's own living being, created humans who approached Aeon-Okami. The darkness was vastly different back then; it lowered from the sky, onto the grass, trying to attack the helpless humans. The humans approached Aeon-Okami in its resting place, never given the power to set foot on the earth. With the birth of fire - from a Pokemon, this I'm not sure - they were able to call upon the deity.

"The awakening also invigorated Sombrowl, resting in the clouds. As part of the darkness, it too tried to attack the humans, misguided in its original purpose. It split the land with its talons: this split Endeima off from Johto. And later, the owl split Endeima in two. 

"Deep down Aeon-Okami knew it wasn't the real enemy. Without humans able to comprehend the talk of Pokemon, the deities formed a kind of truce. This angered the humans. They sealed away Aeon-Okami, no longer of help, an enemy due to its refusal to protect. Before they could, the deity awakened the forest. Arachnus, the guardian who serves many, answered its call. It looked different. Did you see that too? It appears that Arachnus changes its look, suiting the needs of its ally.

"The humans, distinguishing themselves as the Tadia, tried to cover up their betrayal of one of Endeima's forces. Other humans from other regions found out about the land. Vikings, their home region unknown to me, settled here. Another race later on created the Croquistor that still resides here in the present day. Strangely, Endeima treated them differently.

"Generations passed and tensions grew worse. A young man from Pithpy was latched onto by Aeon-Okami's spirit, and awakened the fountain once again, turning the forest against the Tadia. Sombrowl, back on the ground and panicking, created the thunderstorm in the water's center. The Tadia had created a tribune there, most likely the single God they began to put faith in for a brighter night.

"Erisegia, until now, rested in Endeima - the land's spirit. But, like the other two legends, they wanted to touch something else. They adopted a body, becoming Lugia as they emerged from the ground in Johto, not cut off with the rest of the Endeima. Then began their own war with the legendary birds, an entirely separate mystery, somehow born into the world.

"Then Celebi touched the past. They brought Lugia, returning to their spirit self, to Endeima. And recognizing the terrible state they returned to, they let go of their tie to the land - a full spirit. Their power shifted to the moon, to the land, to the Spirit Realm which they created straight after with Sombrowl trapped inside, allowing it to calm down, and Celebi helped them there. 

"Lugia, also with Celebi's help, washed ashore the left island, where I stood brought back in time. And there...Celebi sacrificed itself to heal Lugia, allowing them to live without a spirit.

"My constant meddling with time helped divide the versions of history spread today. The answer to what would have happened if Celebi hadn't intervened does not exist anymore, because Celebi has always existed by visiting the past."

Midori tried to grab the pendant that no longer wrapped around her neck. Instead Celebi flew over, humming soothingly. 

"Finally, I awakened Aeon-Okami a second time. I'm the one who brought back the darkness, turning the forest Pokemon into furious giants, attacking you and other innocent trainers. All because I desperately wanted to rid the discourse of not knowing the past. I felt the spirit latch onto me. Kuro must have felt the same.

"Should I have told Kuro? Should Endeima know their true history? In order to do so, they'd have to know about Celebi. They'd know about the power to change the past, this time for the worse if they wanted."

Green hair flew in the wind, the past Champion lamenting at Lail. "So you see how I'm really the villain all along, why I distanced myself, why I lied, why I can no longer stay here. I ridiculed Kuro for obsessing over the past, but I'm just as fixated. I'm a liar - a hypocrite, and a selfish excuse for creating everything you had to fix. Your presence meant much to me. I'm so thankful to have gained Daggen, and Reiah, and you. But...your words cannot outweigh the guilt, the swords of society if they ever found out."

She choked. "I also want to flee. And, in my heart I want to find Kuro. I never got to say goodbye. Like him, I'll leave Endeima alone."

Lail began to get up. 

"You're the new Champion, bright with a hopeful future. I never was a good one. I've told Reiah everything I told you. That was my goodbye to her. Please take good care of her. But whatever you try with me won't work. This is my planned future."

Celebi didn't object; instead, they circled Midori's head, and she gleamed at them. "In fact, Celebi says I have a new mission elsewhere. Possibly the one where I find Kuro. Can you hear them?"

The fairy spun and zigzagged up close to Lail. And faintly, he heard a sound, like a baby babbling.

"It took years for me, listening to the pendant on my chest. But if you understood Erisegia and Arachnus, you have the same potential."

Celebi stuffed themselves in the pocket between Midori's arm and torso, and Midori closed her eyes in her biggest smile. "I'm glad you grew to enjoy Endeima. Despite the horrors embedded in the past, we still passionately claim that it's our home."

She strolled into the trees.

\---

** CREDITS **

"Don't look so gloomy, honey, okay?" ushered Lail's mom. 

Lail stared at a full plate of eggs. A lot happened. 

Then both sharply turned to the loud knock at the door. Lail opened it, and gawked.

Hitomi, Devin, and Shrika were grouped in front; behind them stood all the other gym leaders.

"We heard what happened, and thought you'd might like some cheering up," exclaimed Hitomi, raising up her arms. "So we brought everyone! Although some were a lot harder to bring than the others..."

Kentu rubbed behind his head; Amber turned away, puffing out her cheeks. 

"Now we commence the gym leader plus the Champion party." grinned Shrika. "Oh? Are you coming out of that house or not? Don't force me to force you out."

Long picnic tables were set up in the town. The gym leaders brought food out, Hitomi bringing sweets from her shop, and Amber making a family soup - originally for the cold weather up in the mountains, she claimed. Everyone found a seat, chatting and betting on who was stronger now. Jasmine sat next to Lail, trying to chime in as much as possible. 

Chase and Kentu inevitably began sparring - an incredibly light duel, they had to agree upon, because houses sat yards away. An Aerodactyl rammed into the head of a Weezing. Kids from the houses cheered on, a couple Sudowoodo shaking about. 

Eventually, Zinnia came over to see the commotion. "Everyone knows each other really well. I've always wished for something like this. I hope they don't mind if I join."

She snacked on some of the berries across from Lail. Jasmine asked all about Hoenn. Zinnia answered as best as she could, still leaving out parts. She eventually was introduced to Rush. Paragraphs of talk about dragons ensued.

Others walked around now, sightseeing the town many wouldn't think to visit on a normal day.

"A nice town," commented Zinnia. "Everyone treats me nice too. A...really strange feeling for me. I left out the self others wouldn't like, but this journey has taught me to let it flow out naturally anyways. What do you think of Endeima, Aster?"

Her Exploud enjoyed the fresh air. 

"You came from Johto; now you're Champion of Endeima. You were determined. And you must love it here, enough to be a person others here will look up to. Which region do you like better now? Also, which one do you call home now? Maybe both can still be your home. You've made memories. But the people in them are affected, standing here now. Your home loves you back. I wonder if it's your second home."

\---

_ Stay Together - Pokemon X _

_[The gym leaders cheer up Lail. The end.]_

\---

Pokemon: Reborn

Written by Lunch

A passion project

Pokemon made by Lunch. Stumperor and Zombeon made by Oripoke. Thank you to Weston and Goomus for their creative input

Thank you to Evan, Jacob, Ian, and Julian for putting up with my constant updates

And thank you to anyone reading. It means a lot that you stuck through

.

.

.

The End

And now, for the postgame...


	22. Postgame: Second Home - Part 1

The next day.

Downstairs, Lail saw his mom in fast conversation with Reiah.

"Oh! There's my son. This lovely woman would like to talk to you. She says you're close, so.... I have some annoying pots to wash."

Reiah shifted her weight, watching Lail's mom dance around the kitchen.

"So Midori really left. That's okay. I've learned enough to thrive on my own. I'm grateful she accepted me into her life."

Reiah inched closer. "I only know things from what Midori told me, but I think the black owl is back. There's been weird patterns of thunderclouds lately. I have no idea how to beat it though. Would you even catch such a creature?"

Lail caught his mom side-eyeing.

"Unfortunately, you and I are now the only ones who know the full story. Maybe...maybe Voyance Manor has information on Sombrowl. The generations that lived it in recorded events from their time into books. It has a huge library...supposedly. It's said to be haunted, and I've never had the guts to look."

"Going somewhere?" prodded Lail's mom, watching Reiah backtrack to the front door. 

"We're going to the library in, uh, Vicecara." 

"The library, huh? If you see neat books on cooking, check one out for me!"

Lail stepped into the warm village...and then nearly hit Professor Spruce before he could adjust to the sunlight.

"Hoho! No worries, I've knocked over more plants than I'd like to admit. Ah, you're one of the Elite Four members! Getting to know the members of your league, Lail. I'm proud!"

"Oh- oh right," said Reiah, now beside Lail. "What are you doing out, Professor Spruce?"

"I, am standing right here to give this young man his Frontier Tag! The Arctic and Rainforest reserves are at your mercy. Well, you still gotta be nice to nature! Conditions have improved enough to allow trainers to catch Pokemon. The Rainforest Reserve still has some specifications though; they'll tell you more there. Wrap up that Pokedex, Champion!"

Professor Spruce trotted to his lab, waving at the people watering flowers. 

Another interruption: the bring of Reiah's comm. "Amber?" she asked it, pressed to the screen. "Vicecara- that's not good."

She grimaced at Lail. "But first, as Endeima's Champion, there's an issue in Vicecara City you have to see." 

\---

Down the brown and pink streets, people walked with limps and surgical masks covering their faces. Amber crossed her arms in front of her gym, an anxious look on her face, switching to relieved as Lail came into focus .

"Yay. Listen- there was a weird sickness a couple days ago that instantly spread through the city. Some people were also suddenly cured, too - even weirder - but lots still remain sick. I've tried to help with ice packs and running to the pharmacy, but there's only so much that they and I can do. I was thinking- no, I'll just say it. Can you help? Please? People are slowly getting better, I can only imagine how much faster with your help."

Daggen had come up behind Reiah. "Hey, remember you promised later that-"

"Yeah...." Reiah tapped Lail's shoulder from behind. "Sorry, you're gonna have to investigate the mansion on your own. Not scared- promise! I swore I would go train later today. Hope nothing spooky happens to you."

Alone, helping out the entirety of Vicecara, Lail's title as Champion soon shifted to Civil Servant. Lots and lots of citizens all had their own request on how to help the city, making him dash between the gym and the pharmacy, and travel to other locations like the National Park to collect supplies. 

Slowly, the city began to restore itself, always offering quests when Lail returned.

\---

Lail noticed an odd amount of traffic coming and leaving from the Battle Circle's paved gravel on his trek. Inside he faced the Battle Circle, fully completed. A city of tents across the circle swelled together in multiple colors, the tallest middle one boasting stone steps leading to its entrance flaps. Aligned around the edges were several smaller tents and a few campfires, marking the area as a permanent place to call home. 

Joy, Shruik, and the other original trainers finally completed their teams. Other themed trainers joined their ranks: Sir Grimscale, who's Pokemon were all shaped like serpents, and Miss Normore, who's Pokemon hit with perfect accuracy. Around them, trainers from everywhere conversed or relaxed, lugging giant backpacks or simply carrying canisters. 

"I swear Thorton, keep up that demeanor and no one's gonna visit your tent."

"It's great, then, that we're separated already."

"Come onnnnn. I know Endeima is new to us and all, but try to make the most of it, okay?"

A group of trainers came strolling out of the tallest tent; a girl with long black hair full of yellow pins and a lanky guy with meticulously combed up hair, both parting to return to the swelled tents on either side of the main one, as big as and even in the outline of two-story houses. A cold-looking guy paced out last and stared down below with a smidget of misanthropy, then whipped his fancy coat behind him, going back inside. 

"They've been like that since they got here a few days ago, haven't they?" Another guy bounced up beside Lail, amused at the tall tents. "Do you not know them? That's Dahlia and Thorton, from Sinnoh's Battle Frontier. Dahlia said to me something about the Frontier becoming obsolete, so they moved here after hearing about the growing competition. I haven't asked any more about that, though. The head honcho way up there is Cyprian: he's actually from Endeima. Hasn't said squat to me."

The guy slapped his hand against his chest, bringing attention to his weird outfit, each article of clothing in its own world, not matching with the rest. "And I, am Rizekk! You're probably thinking that's a weird name. It's actually my initials! But pronouncing each one would take until the sun sets, so I go by Rizekk. I'm just a normal trainer that moved here, and recently became part of the Battle Circle. Once a day, feel free to challenge me to a six-v-six duel! I'll be in that tent."

He hopped to one of the outlier tents, lighting it up with a lantern. 

\---

In the right house-shaped tent, Lail encountered Dahlia twirling in the middle, two projectors plugged into the ground sending colorful, dancing orbs onto the ceiling. 

"Hell-o incoming challenger of the Berry Tent! What is your name? Lail?- Wait, are you the Champion? That's amazing! I'll be battling a worthy opponent.

"I'm originally a Frontier Brain from Sinnoh. But...things happened, and Thorton and I moved here. With Cyprian in that middle tent, we're trying to form our own unique challenge that can go along with the Battle Circle. In here, what I call the Berry Tent, you must choose from the table a certain effect for your battles; each one rewards different berries. I tried to model it after my Battle Arcade, but I wanted to do something different. Then, for me, you must make them into Pokeblocks! They're for contests in Hoenn, but since we're here, I was thinking I could feed them to hungry Pokemon. Each Pokeblock you make also sets different effects for your battle, and your berries reset each time you battle me. Mash wisely!

"If you can defeat me six times, each for the different color of the rainbow, I'll reward you with the official Dahlia Gold Print! Let your Berry Tent challenge begin!"

A high-tech board, standing against the tent's back wall, lit up as the challenge began. Trainer after trainer, from a flapped back entrance, challenged Lail with all sorts of Pokemon. Then every few rounds, Dahlia returned to battle with a set of Pokemon modeled after a certain color, growing stronger as they blended from red to purple. He had difficulty scraping his berries together to make Pokeblocks that gave advantages to his own team, and his team only.

"My first winner!" exclaimed Dahlia. "Thank you so much for choosing to participate. Have you met Thorton yet? He's a lot more...contained, but he'll put up an equally unique challenge. I hope you can watch us grow in Endeima as the Champion!"

Thorton's tent on the left had an arena etched in with chalk, and a lonely kiosk straight from the Pokemon Center at the front, like a mailbox. 

"I've heard of a strong trainer - are you him? Then know that here, in the Jumble Tent, you will battle with three rental Pokemon, different each time you attempt the challenge. Your Pokemon can be traded with the trainer you defeat- assuming you make it that far. Also know that this is nothing to be taken lightly. Hmph. Step forward to begin."

Thorton disappeared with his standing-up hair into the back flaps of his tent, and from them emerged trainers battling, once again, with Pokemon from all of the regions in the world. And finally, Thorton too battled him with a randomized team.

"Fair and square. Here is my Gold Print. It's similar to the one from the Battle Factory; I refuse to change how it looks. If you're challenging the Survival Tent, then be prepared for an even stronger challenge."

"Endeima's Champion...I've looked forward to meeting you," issued Cyprian's hardened mouth. Orange eyes stared dead ahead; navy green hair swept over his hardened face. "I am from Sandsaahi. The home of the supposed portal to the Spirit Realm. I wonder if you, the Champion, have ever seen it. You don't have to tell me."

Cyprian's tent had no bottom, letting the natural grass and weeds grow inside. And, fascinatingly, trees arched underneath the tent's walls, their leaves blowing to the ground. 

"For my tent, you will be subjected to a simulation, a campaign. You must, with your six Pokemon, survive the harsh nights of the forest, each night with a different event. Will you face wild Pokemon or wandering trainers? Fate will determine that. And if you can survive a full 'month,' I will be waiting to battle you with my team. Be prepared to rely on your Pokemon." He coolly left through the back. 

For the Survival Tent, Lail was subjected to trials dealing with his own sustainability. One night, he had to make fire, achieving it effortlessly with the help of a fire Pokemon. Another night, he sent two of his Pokemon to grab wood, bringing back a wild Pokemon they couldn't handle. Trainers every few nights wandered by, forcing a battle on him. Returned to reality after the thirtieth day, Lail faced Cyprian's powerful team themed after the forest. 

He backtracked, noticing the tents with their lanterns outside that when lit, let him inside to give him items and other neat things. He continued on Route 707 to the Voyance Manor. 

\---

_ Dignity of Conquest - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[The theme for the completed Battle Circle. The themed trainers stand around the paved gravel circle, waiting to be challenged once a day. You can also visit certain tents elsewhere depending on the day and time, some with trainers or some vacant, giving different items or just quips. Rizekk acts as a strong trainer you can also battle once a day, like Cheren and Bianca in Black and White.]_

_Pokemon Rizekk uses: Whimsicott, Dunsparce, Raichu, Lucario, Gliscor, Golisopod_

_ Want to be Close - Persona 3 _

_[The theme for the Berry Tent. Works sort of similar to the Battle Arcade. You must choose from the table for an effect for each battle. Underneath each one is a list of which berries you earn if you choose it. The worst effects for you give the best ingredients. You battle Dahlia six times, each time with a team based on the sequential colors of the rainbow. The middle two colors use Z-moves, and the last two use a Mega Evolution. Before you face her, you are prompted with a minigame where you use the different berries you earned to mash and make a Pokeblock. Each type of Pokeblock gives different effects like the tiles. The effects of the Pokeblocks are always the same, but the berries you earn will always be different due to the randomized tiles. You lose all your berries after each battle with Dahlia. See the trainer list for Dahlia's six teams.]_

_ Kalos Power Plant - Pokemon X and Y _

_[The theme for Thorton's Tent - the Jumble Tent. Works like the Battle Factory, where you choose three random Pokemon at the start, with the option to choose one of the opponent's Pokemon if you beat them. Thorton then challenges you, still with a randomized team.]_

_ Jungle Joyride (Night) - Sonic Unleashed _

_[In the Survival Tent, the screen shifts to backgrounds of forest scenery. You're brought up with several different prompts, the screen transitioning after each night. Each night is a different minigame. For example, one night you must start a fire. If you have a fire Pokemon, it's a lot easier. You sometimes send Pokemon in your party off to collect, and depending on their strength against the random wild Pokemon, you might have to battle it with the four remaining. The worse you do tasks, the higher chance of a battle by wild or trainer. Finally you face Cyprian's six-mon team. He uses all Friend Balls.]_

_Pokemon Cyprian uses: Pangoro, Trevanant, Croquistor, Verseelie, Volcarona, Slaking_

_ Battle! Frontier Brain - Pokemon Platinum _

_[The versus theme for Dahlia, Thorton, and Cyprian.]_

\---

Devin slouched outside his shack, taking an eternity-long break from his caretaker duties. 

"Why hello, Champion? Here for the mansion-"

A youngster sprinted to the shack's door, huffing quickly before yelling at Devin. "I wanna challenge you! I'm ready!"

"I see, I see... Then step in, youngin'. Just make sure to watch them. I don't bite, but my Pokemon might."

The kid barraged into the shack, Devin whistling as he took a detour around to the back.

Devin returned, the kid with him sulking in front. 

"That's not fair!" he whined. "I trained my Pokemon for months, I was ready!"

"I'll be here," replied Devin. "I love wrapping myself into that coffin as much as I possibly can."

"Stop teasing me!" 

"Hm?"

"You should be - I don't know - giving advice or something! Instead you're teasing me. You're not supposed to act like that!"

The boy ran off.

"Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, I get that a lot from adults that are supposed to be more mature than children," reflected Devin. "Am I really supposed to act as a certain way as a gym leader? Personally I'd toss that ideology into the abyss. Acting how I am is what got me here, and I love it. Of course, when it comes to my friends, I'd argue that I could act better. I'm always jabbing at Hitomi and Shrika, but what am I doing _for_ them?" He started humming. "So the Voyance Mansion, huh? I'm feeling a little bit too tired to walk alllll the way over there. The doors'll probably open for you anyways. Have fun."

The wrinkly, tall doors of the manor opened for Lail, letting him inside the long red-rugged hallway bordered with portraits and lit pumpkins. The fire seemed to dance for a moment as a woman grew larger, creeping along the rug. 

"Oh, hello! Welcome to the Voyance Manor. I am your humble guide." she said. Scarlet hair drifted to the front and back, along a black and white suit. Most creepily were her white eyes, without any pupils or irises. With the other happenings of the region, Lail just assumed it so. 

"My name that I present to you is Scarlet Fever." She clapped her hands together, bringing them sweetly to her cheek. "What made you decide to visit today? Hmm, Sombrowl? I have not heard of that name before. But you are free to look in the libraries. Follow me...." She quickly led the way, dissolving into the darkness. 

Lail explored what he could - a china cabinet jumped off the wall and blocked a doorway to one room; two Shuppet giggled, poking their heads out of it. Stacks of ripped books zigzagged on top of wooden desks; candles lit every corner of the rooms, never burning out. Someone or something kept this place alive...

Scarlet Fever led him downstairs, to a massive library with enough books to flood the region if unleashed. 

"Hmm, what grouping, what grouping..." she pondered, pacing the aisles. "'Fairytales for Children-' no..., 'Banned Books from Trainer School-' *sigh* no..., 'Permanently Cursed Books-' seems unlikely, 'Histories-' ah, this may be of liking. You claim the existence of this Sombrowl is true. I will be making black tea; I will leave you alone." She swooshed upstairs, leaving Lail to the assortment of papers. 

A couple aisles over, the cursed books were indeed cursed. One refused to open; a hefty book titled _Ancient Village Massacres_ instantly gave him a papercut when he touched the pages; _Technology Through the Ages_ constantly emitted a hum of static, growing louder and more impending as he walked closer to it.

He sat at one of the study desks underneath a dusty purple lamp, scanning versions of Endeima's history he'd already heard, some new ones even stretchier of the truth. Nothing, unfortunately, mentioned Sombrowl. Perhaps people had been too afraid to mention it?

"Here is a taste of our warm tea," prompted Scarlet, clunking a fancy teacup near Lail's elbow. "Nothing. Hmmmm, there is a special bookshelf upstairs, in my master's private study. He collected the most interesting books. Do not worry about invading privacy; he is out traveling."

Lail ran his dust-covered finger over the spines upstairs, forgetting to drink the tea... _The Original Zenhara_... _101 Ways to Succumb to the Forest_... _Time Ticking Tests to the Impossible_...

Scarlet appeared from the doorway behind him, stalking, carefully carrying a knife. Lail spun around.

"Aw, you noticed me! I was hoping to take you with me." Scarlet froze in place, wobbling in reality. Every split second, she changed shape. With an echoing creak, a Lampent menacingly floated in the air. Lail lost the ground under him, falling to the first floor's hallway, hurting his back. 

Lampent and a few of its thugs flew down the stairs, their cries echoing on the hallway's never-ending walls. It charged closer; Shrika ran in front of Lail, knocking it into the wall with a smack of her fan. 

"Pests. Always up to the same skit every time I come here. Sorry about that." Shrika hoisted Lail up. "I guess for you, it was less of a skit. I heard the spine-chilling sounds and ran over from the courtyard."

She stared out the open doors. "I've noticed with my little eye a certain pattern with the wild Pokemon. First, we had the ones borne from darkness emerge from the trees' shadows. Now, we have tyrants roaming the remote regions of Endeima. Very, very interesting. Ah. You were here...looking for information on Sombrowl? The daunting, enigmatic bird that emblazoned our sky? Hmm. No idea. So sorry. I will be off. Otherwise things here with the Pokemon will get awkward." She hummed to herself, strolling outside.

"My Chandelure is from this mansion. A Lampent trying to kill me ended up in my arms. Perhaps I just attract Pokemon? More Pokemon end up coming to me than wrapping themselves in my thrown Pokeballs. Damaged, those Pokemon lives' are. They let me see the evil in people really easily. But there's good in us too, no? Although, I find the most amusement in the suffering of others. If the pain I make fun of leaves scars however, how will I know. Could I forgive myself. A mystery."

\---

_ Dusk Falls - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[Inside the Voyance Manor. You are free to explore, but entering and going into the master's study will trigger those events.]_

\---

There was one other source that would know: Erisegia. 

Arachnus roared.

Erisegia slowly rotated in the air, hidden in their wings. They heard Arachnus's second echoing roar from the top of the slope and awakened, spreading their wings, spanning the width of the cave. 

"It seems, after that, I still have a life left to live." monologued Erisegia, already knowing Lail's first thoughts. "You are looking for Sombrowl. I still sense the owl's presence - far, but there. Must be time for their journey to reach an end as well. Life has moved on without us. But we can still celebrate new lives with a trainer as Pokemon, because that is still who Sombrowl is, and who I am.

"Sombrowl currently rests on the highest point of Endeima's right island: the mountain you've seen, at the very end. But first, I ask you to battle me. One popular opinion is that a wild Pokemon cedes its rights to join a trainer, but it's my right to join you, to face the end of your travels. We can guide each other through our unresolved future."

Erisegia waited, hovering in the cave. 

A battle to catch Endeima's legendary followed. 

Lail still felt Erisegia's presence in his bag. A divine being, bird of light, capable of so much, contained in a puny device....


	23. Postgame: Second Home - Part 2

_**This chapter details everything else the player can explore in Endeima. Feel free to skip this part to continue the postgame's story_

_\---_

His path to Passenity took him back through Celestiash Forest, brought back to life. Clouds of color stuck to the tips of the trees. Lail spotted small white Fiiom floating through the forest, releasing colorful fog through their hollow horns. He was sure the less friendly Illiracy were also responsible for some of the color, hidden away. He backtracked underneath the lights - the balls of blue, green, white, like clouds, like cotton, attaching and floating about, rising and sinking onto his shoes. And running along was the shining purple river, perfectly capturing the stars overhead.

Outside, the factory in Neo-Passenity faintly glowed through its long orange windows. 

Kentu approached Lail just as he hit the short stone steps to the blocked-off metal door. 

"Hello there, Champion. I've blocked it off since it closed, but maybe..." He clasped his hands on the wooden boards, and broke them off. "This factory's been abandoned since, but maybe it's good to check in on it. If someone tried to tamper with the machinery unsupervised...that'd be bad. The factory itself still runs; it refuses to die. Rotom, my guess. But thankfully nothing is produced. We don't need any more pollution here. If you see anything unusual, report to me."

Kentu forced open the metal door, dirt and rust scraping away. "When I think of bad people, that Kuro figure comes up now. If I knew more about him before all of this, I would've given him a talk, man to man. But, it's over. You be good as our Champion, ya hear?" He left for Passenity, slipping through the tree-border. 

Lail met walls and floors of cold steel. The factory slowly rose to the back, metal plates for stairs and ladders bringing him up to higher stories. Giant tubes embedded in the walls filled with fizzing orange and purple contents that carried bubbles up several floors. They illuminated the metal inside with their faint shining colors. And scratching the ceiling, the long windows allowed a portion of light - turned into light of a sunset - to touch the inside. 

Kicking and sliding scraps and tools, Lail discovered a few neat items. When he reached the very top, a scraping from the other side of the steel wall triggered. A whack created a swell in the wall. A couple more whacks, then a Sabero, with its axed tail, ripped apart the steel, entering the factory from within its wall. It faced Lail sideways, allowing its tail to look down at the trainer, ready to swing. 

\---

_ Sylvalum (Night) - Xenoblade Chronicles X _

_[Celestiash Forest's new theme, after the volcano settles. The trees have come back to life.]_

_ A Vow of Unity - Tales of Vesperia _

_[Plays inside the Endeima Factory.]_

_ Condemnation - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[Sabero is one of the "Tyrants," which still act like the other Pokemon that have attacked, but only accessible in postgame. Immediately, Sabero roars to sharply raise its attack. At the beginning of each round, Sabero swipes with it tail, doing a bit of damage without using an actual move. The player, after a certain number of turns, can scramble a steel shield together from the scraps on the floor, which absorbs a certain amount of damage before breaking. Sabero can use Screech and Metal Sound on top of all of its attacking moves, which have perfect accuracy.]_

\---

Frontier Tag in hand, Lail took the other possible trail on Route 703 toward the Arctic Reserve, onto _Route 701 - December Winds_. The wide mulched trail headed straight north. Either side sported great pine trees, trunks as wide as towers, layered with snow like wedding cakes. 

The route transitioned to snow and ice, ending at two totem poles making a gate, giant wooden statues of Mamoswine on either side. _These two Mamoswine face each other in an endless battle for their mate,_ read a nearby plaque, _both with equal strength, never moving from this very spot._

Sheets of thick white ice and snow covered the reserve, seemingly endless, until Lail ran into the edge, water battering the bottom far down below. The snow occasionally gave way to deep blue ice, rising in pillars or forming crevices, those leading into tunnels with even bluer ice. Snow-capped glaciers grew across, deep blue, obstacles for Lail who also faced the abundance of water and ice Pokemon trying to survive on the land without land. 

The north created a triangular tip, an edge to look at the cold sea spreading to the horizon. Specks of snow fell into the stormy water. Under the edge, a batch of water gurgled; two spears of ice raised from the churning vortex, and a white liopleurodon torpedoed into the air above Lail, fangs and whiskered spears unsheathed.

\---

_ Grizzleheim Main Theme - Wizard101 _

_[The theme for Route 701. Confusing numbering? It goes from top to bottom on the left island, no matter the left or right. Don't get annoyed at me; the Endeinans made it that way, not me!]_

_ Hrundle Fjord - Wizard101 _

_[On the Arctic Reserve. Acts like a normal area (not a Safari Zone), but a lot more open than the routes. You can explore tunnels, tops of glaciers, etc. and it's a lot more 360 degree-ish.]_

_ Condemnation - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[In this version, you fight Njordeirus, one of the pseudo-legendaries. It's hailing when you start the battle, but Njordeirus immediately uses Rain Dance, which turns the weather into acid rain, thanks to its ability Acidity. It loves using Frostbite and Toxic to gradually lower your Pokemon's health, using Frostbite freely at the beginning of the turn if the Pokemon hasn't been succumbed to it yet. It uses strong poison moves and also a couple ice moves.]_

\---

Underneath Bleeshadow emerged the Rainforest Reserve, a temperate one instead of the jungle types Lail always saw. That didn't stop it from looking alien.

He'd seen trees with light for leaves, towering trunks and trees come to life as Pokemon, yet the plants here somehow existed on another world. Every bush and lily looked different. Fans of pink, orange, blue opened and closed acting as polka dots on the rainforest's ground. Wet dirt inflated with dew hiked up and up, creating walls, which created hallways. Along these natural barriers were columns of exotic plants in neon colors, reaching from the floor to the tippity-top like alien vines. Elephant ears, arrow heads and fern swords reached Lail's shoulders, spreading out every which way; dark green, vine covered trees of the temperate rainforest reached the shoulders of skyscrapers. A light fog would pass through the gigantic temperate trees, lined with moss and plants with color, reaching unfathomable heights. 

Furthermore, the rain changed its severity or pattern - sometimes both - every day, and each day brought out different Pokemon. 

He passed an empty shack near the entrance, sunk into the wet dirt and splitting apart. Was someone supposed to monitor this place? He later encountered Rush, staring into the sea, cloak flapping in the rain-filled wind. 

"Besides the mountain, this is also where I came to reflect on the world," he explained, still in the heroic position. "A forest apart from everything else. Plants I'd never seen. Every day brings a different rain. Different Pokemon come out depending on it, too. People have attributed the cause to a group of Altaria, messing with the weather for fun. Personally, I'd like it if it's indeed true. Makes me happy to know Pokemon love this forest so much that they can bless it with their power. Anyways..."

Rush passed Lail to the entrance. "Rangers used to watch this forest, until the forest overcame them. It's not necessary, though. The Pokemon deserve to be unfettered. I never told you what my dad made me promise to him: to watch all the Pokemon. It seemed impossible, and there I went, digging myself into a mountain. But now, I feel hopeful."

Traveling through the rainforest yet another time, Lail spotted yellow Altaria in the sky, singing brightly to each other and darting elsewhere, carrying rainbows with them. 

\---

_ Noctilum (Day) - Xenoblade Chronicles X _

_[For the Rainforest Reserve. Works like the Arctic Reserve, but no Tyrant this time. It has thirty different possible weathers, and the Pokemon are completely different for each one. It depends on the real-life calendar; each day has a different weather, such as thunderstorm, double rainbow, light shower, heavy fog, etc.]_

\---

The view of the stone ruins from Sandsaahi was just as ominous. Black clouds, lethal waves, the usual. Lail remembered how this storm covered all of Endeima at one point. How cold it must have been. 

He summoned Zinnia's past Salamence, waiting to see if these winds could be broken through.

The Pokemon struggled against the current. Lail tried to steer Salamence away from powerful gusts, clearly visible in the storm, purposefully attacking them. 

But they made it to the stone island, the eye of the hurricane, calm- calmer, than the raging storm circling. Salamence flew up to a resting point on one of the stone pillars, uncomfortable on the slick ground partially sunk. In these shallow pools, wild Pokemon shot out at his face.

Lail crossed stone bridges made of rough rocks, rising and lowering, connecting stone bases, each impaled by a stone pillar in their center. Water hit the edges, sending droplets onto his face as it was carried by the wind across the entire island. Piles of rocks cracked off the shore, spots for Dhelmise, with deep sea Pokemon and a book, full of tentacles when it opened on its own. 

Climbing to the main island, the storm suddenly softened. Reaching the edge, a pool of thunderclouds spread out over the still water. A head, a monstrous head, peeked out of it, sneering at Lail. It sunk back into the floating clouds, then rose its entire body out of it, its cry chaining off the pillars.

\---

_ Wir Fliegen - Xenoblade Chronicles X _

_[When the player decides to travel to the stone island with Salamence, it initiates a minigame that plays this theme. The player must keep up Salamence's speed, avoiding strong gusts of wind and zaps of lightning.]_

_ Avalon Tense Theme - Wizard101 _

_[Plays on the stone island in the center sea of Endeima. Another free roam area. There are shallow pools on the circles of rocks, which have wild Pokemon, and there are areas to fish with Dhelmise. You can also encounter the tyrant Tempaithus, the third pseudo-legendary.]_

_ Condemnation - Fire Emblem Fates  _

_[Tempaithus sets rain with its ability, and its automatically reset if the player tries to change the weather. Every few turns, it will duck into the water, and the next turn its tail raises behind the player's Pokemon and falls down on it, dealing a lot of damage and hitting through Protect. Also every few turns, the sky will darken directly overhead the player's Pokemon, and the next turn will be a powerful Thunder.]_


	24. Postgame: Second Home - Part 3

Leaves silently swirled over the wooden fountain in Ysthip, back inside reinvestigating for signs of anything. 

Wrapped in branches, Aeon-Okami bent over the wooden rim gazing into the slowly trickling green water. Was it...really alive?

Its voice whisked in between the trees, Lail picking up a barely comprehensible "sorry."

He tried to approach it, but it jumped in...its translucent body sunk into the water but also stayed standing, turning into a green light, slowly finding a shape into an orb.

It flashed and flew toward him, toward his bag as he tried to back up, and into his empty Pokeball.

He had caught it...?

\---

Hitomi caught Lail heading to Jasmine's house. 

"Lail, mind if I talk?" She carried a tinge of melancholy. 

"Others brought it up in the past, but I've been contemplating the plan for my future. As you know, I have...many...jobs. Helping out at the daycare, tending to a shop, acting in fashion shows, and being a gym leader. 

"I called all of my jobs dreams. I've been working them for years now and I still call them dreams. Whatever I thought I was working toward...it's not there. Only position I've reached anything in is becoming a gym leader. It's how I met real friends. I love the other jobs, but in the finale, I have to ask myself what's the end goal. Because I'm carrying too much stress to just wallow. I decided to become a sole gym leader.

"To sacrifice family and fun. And not be tied down by bosses, even if one of those is my grandma. I just came back from Versaiya, where I quit. It felt nice. I feel free. This is how I want to live and convey to everyone who I am. 

"And in part, it's thanks to you. No, really! Seeing you carry out the gym challenge made me miss that childlike joy. Even the fashion shows grew stale. They lost what made them fun. I'm grateful I got to meet you. So I'll be there, at my gym. I had to have strength to say goodbye, and I'll continue to show it in my battles."

\---

"Thanks for visiting! I'm still trying to move so please ignore all the boxes, but...look anywhere you like!"

Jasmine's house appeared not unlike Shrika's: tatami floors and mahogany wooden beams. Her Ampharos, Amphy, danced in the corner, beside a sliding glass door to a balcony covered with the purple leaves of the maple trees, their yellow lanterns dangling down.

"I think I'd like to make a living besides being a gym leader here," said Jasmine, walking back and forth and occasionally playing with Amphy. "But it's so hard to decide what to do! There's a lot of interesting things. But I get to decide. In the meantime, if you ever want to battle, I'd love to! I'd like to practice, especially against the Champion."

She snapped open a long box on her counter. "Here's that present I mentioned before. It's a Steelixite." Jasmine placed a glimmering marble into Lail's hand. "I had been given some Mega Stones back in Johto, but I can't use all of them. I've also been able to make them from mining I did with Steelix a long time ago, around the same time I learned how to make a badge. Maybe if you come again another day, I can give you another Mega Stone!"

Amphy ran up to her. "You're right. Sorry, Amphy. I promised we would go see the lighthouse today. Back together...back home. I've never felt so happy. Nice seeing you, Lail!"

\---

The trees brushed aside. 

An endless plane of short grass, beautiful flowers and trees rising past the blades. But only a few were there, dotted scarcely across the expanse. A tan trail curved and looped and zigzagged through, touching the base of the tallest mountain to his feet. A thin, sky blue river ran across the middle; a miniature crimson bridge connected the land. Trainers lined the trail, hoping for their most competitive battle yet. 

With a clap of thunder, Sombrowl screeched overhead, causing Lail to duck. He watched the owl zoom down the trail, vanishing on the top of the mountain with the flat, intimidating overlook...the one the battle Celebi showed him took place on. He prepared for the end, to go down the northernmost route, Route 701 - Trail of Sorrow and Forgiveness. 

"Lail!"

Zinnia ran up to him, staring at the same place. "Sombrowl's resting there.... I guess it's your quest to beat it now. After this, the legendaries of Endeima's story is finished. In a way, so are ours. Lail. I want to finish this final part with you."

With Zinnia by his side, they battled trainers, fought wild Pokemon, discovered items, working their way up to the stone slope to the end. 

The trail sunk into the mountain, a quick segment of weaving through boulders, leading to the back of the mountain curling up to the top, except the stone had been cut out - a window showing the sky, clouds or stars. 

"One final request," said Zinnia. "A battle with me. Against the Pokemon I've had with me since Hoenn, and the few I've bonded with since I fled for Endeima."

She took a deep breath, the window to the world on her back. "This is it."

\---

_ The Way Home - Magic Sword _

_[The theme for the Trail of Sorrow and Forgiveness. Its one really big rectangle but also really barren. There's an occasional one tree and one small patch of tall grass for wild Pokemon. The main and only attraction really is the trail with trainers on it, all with competitive Pokemon, most of them doubled up. Some trees, especially near the river, border the trail. Zinnia runs alongside you all around the route and fights with you in a double battle. The final adventure...]_

_ Battle! Zinnia - Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire _

_[Returning to her old theme, she quickly pulls a Pokeball out of her bag and raises it to her face, smiling at it. She then runs up like she's bowling, a reference to her ORAS animation but a lot less crazier. She uses all standard Poke Balls.]_

_Pokemon Zinnia uses: Exploud, Goodra, Tyrantrum, Okarthro, Homenway, Salamence-Mega_

\---

"That settles it then. Just like last time. The hero the region needed." Zinnia kept her eyes closed, a hidden smile on her face.

But then everything happy about her faded. She fixated on the sky. 

"I need to tell you my story:

"Back in Hoenn, my home region...I did things. Things I am not proud of. I risked the lives of hundreds, no- the entire world. Your world. I tried to summon Rayquaza to save us; that was my lifelong duty, my sole goal I would never back down from. But another trainer resonated with them instead, without effort, without the dedication of their life to that moment. I left a note, then I fled. The last person I talked to was my grandmother, who told me to find my new purpose in life.

"When I am in despair, when I do not know which way to go, I look up at the stars. They stop my tears; they give me a path. A path you and I walked together. You've been my companion, one who could protect the world and resonate with Rayquaza as well; one that stands by me now ready to save Endeima from its shadow.

"But that is _your_ purpose. I still have not found mine. I thought fleeing to here, where no one knows me, would allow the chance to start again. I learned my past would not stay behind. It's tormented me. It feels like I am a spirit - an empty shell standing here while my heart is buried at home. 

"Yet I've grown. I learned about a life separate from my naive beliefs as a Loremaster. I learned how to enjoy life. But my spirit is still tied to Hoenn. I can't leave things the way they ended, broken and incomplete. My duty as Lorekeeper's reached the last chapter. But yours as Champion just began. What an accomplishment, by a heart purer than mine. So..."

She took Lail's hand, and squeezed for a bit...a while...a really long time.

"I've decided to leave. To forge a new beginning for what I lost back then. I had said something along those lines after someone else showed me the multiplicity of life. But what I lost, was always there: my home. Please capture Sombrowl for me. Rid the people of the looming darkness. Finish the adventure of your own home."

Salamence emerged, waiting patiently outside the mountain's hollowed edge. Zinnia climbed on, flying until her speck dissolved.

\---

_ Ninelie - Aimer _

_[Zinnia says goodbye.]_

\---

The presence of Sombrowl could be felt worse and worse as Lail climbed to the top. Heavy winds dared him to come closer. 

He reached the flat top, able to see the route below and the towns and forest beyond it. Above, black clouds rippled and churned in a compact mass. 

He took one step closer; the owl dropped from the clouds to the stone, enveloped in the murky mass, its eyes still shining through. It cleared it, spreading its wings viciously and slowly stomping toward the Champion.

\---

_ End of All - Fire Emblem Fates _

_[The song begins when Sombrowl appears and slowly inches at the player, and when the music picks up (0:06) the camera zooms in on Sombrowl, transitioning to the battle. It screeches as it envelops itself in a blue light this time, sharply raising all of its stats. It has a catch rate of 1, making it as hard as possible to catch for the endgame.]_

\---

The storm over the unnamed mountain cleared; sun shined on the lonely grass. The legendaries of Endeima were in his bag. It almost felt fake, reaching this point from obtaining his first Pokemon. But he loved all of them, the ones he caught and bonded with through his entire journey.

Now the Champion, he was sure the world would treat him differently, for better or for worse. People left; people stayed. He had them. His choices from here on out were his to make, leading his life in his second home. 


End file.
